Find English Teachers
Noha
A lot of hours OR Many hours?
Hi all,
Do you know which one is grammatically correct?
I spent..... hours studying for the test
( a lot of - lots of - Many)
Aug 17, 2020 12:40 PM
Answers · 4
1
To add a bit of information to the answers from Hilary and Charlie...
In informal, spoken English, we would be more likely to use "many" in a negative sentence, but NOT in a positive sentence.. ("Many" in a positive sentence sounds VERY formal)
We'll use "lots of" or "a lot of" in positive, negative sentences and questions.
I have a lot of friends.
I have lots of friends.
I don't have many enemies.
This is true for "much" as well, for uncountable nouns.
August 17, 2020
1
The things people say in conversation are usually not what you would encounter learning English. So, what I would "naturally" say in this context, particularly in speaking to someone, would be something along the lines of:
"I spent tons and tons of time studying for the test." (a ton is a weight, a ton is a very heavy weight.)
or,
"I spent loads of hours studying for the test." (a load is an amount, a load is a large amount.)
August 17, 2020
1
Well, they are all "grammatically correct", but you would most usually hear/say "many". The other two alternatives might be used to insist on the length of time, e.g in an exchange like this:
A - I guess you spent several hours preparing for the test.
B - Oh yes, I spent a LOT of hours studying for it. (...putting the stress on the word "lot"... + the same for "lots")
August 17, 2020
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Noha
Language Skills
Arabic, English
Learning Language
English
Articles You May Also Like

Speak More Fluently with This Simple Technique
23 likes · 2 Comments

How to Read and Understand a Business Contract in English
19 likes · 3 Comments

6 Ways italki Can Help You Succeed in Your School Language Classes
14 likes · 8 Comments
More articles