‘How much' or 'how many'? | The Coffee Break English Show 1.10
Dec 22, 2023
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Discover the key differences between 'how much' and 'how many' in English. The hosts break down the concepts of countable versus uncountable nouns with engaging examples. Dive into practical tips for using 'much' and 'a lot of' correctly in conversation. Learn how to form questions about quantities while avoiding common mistakes. This insightful discussion is a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their grammar skills!
'How much' is used with uncountable nouns, while 'how many' is used with countable nouns.
For negative answers regarding uncountable nouns, 'much' is used, and 'not many' is used for countable nouns.
Deep dives
Difference between 'how much' and 'how many'
The podcast episode discusses the difference between 'how much' and 'how many' in questions. 'How many' is used with countable nouns, such as when asking about the number of siblings someone has. 'How much' is used with uncountable nouns, such as when asking about the amount of time it takes to get to work or the amount of money someone has.
Using 'much' and 'many' in answers
The episode also covers how to answer questions using 'much' and 'many'. For negative answers regarding uncountable nouns, such as not having much ice cream, 'much' is used. For positive answers, 'a lot of' is used, such as when saying there is a lot of rain in Scotland. For countable nouns, 'not many' is used for negative answers, like not having read many books, and 'many' or 'a lot of' can be used for positive answers, depending on the quantity, such as having many siblings or a lot of siblings.
Do you know when to use how much and how many in English? In this final episode of The Coffee Break English Show, Josie and Maurizio talk about when to use how much and how many as well as looking at a few examples.