Too, Very, Fewer, Less, Little, Few and a Little, a Bit

A.

Learn the following adjectives which are used informally and which mean very good and very bad. Note that they all have very common adjectival endings:

Very good:

• Fabulous
• Tremendous
• Marvelous
• Stupendous
• Amazing breathtaking
• Outstanding
• Smashing
• Fantastic wonderful
• Magnificent

Very bad:

• Awful dreadful
• Frightful
• Shocking
• Revolting
• Appalling
• Hideous
• Monstrous

B.

Too or very

Make sure you distinguish between too and very. Beginners often mix-up these two adverbs. Very means extremely and too means more than is wanted. Compare the following:

• The match problem was very difficult. It was too difficult for me to solve.
• We arrived at the hotel very late – too late to have dinner there.
• The lake was very muddy. It was too muddy to swim in.
• A pity! It was perfect weather for swimming. Not too hot.

C.

Too much / too many

Much and many can be used as an alternative to a lot of. Much is used with singular nouns and many is used with plural nouns. Too expresses the idea of more than enough or more than necessary. Compare the following:

• There were many / a lot of people in the dining room, but there wasn’t very much / a lot of food left.
• I haven’t eaten very much! ~ You’ve eaten far too much in my view.
• I had put too much salt in the soup and nobody ate it.

D.

Fewer / less

Fewer and less are the comparative forms of few and little and are used with countable and uncountable nouns, respectively. Compare the following:

• I’ve got a little (bit of) money in the bank. Not very much. Less than I had last year.
• The weather was awful and fewer children took part in the procession this year.

E.

Little / few and a little / a few

Little is used with uncountable and few is used with countable nouns. When we use few and little without the indefinite article, they usually have a negative meaning, but when we use them with the indefinite article, a little or a few, they have a more positive meaning. Compare the following:

• I have few friends in England and I feel quite lonely.
• I have a few friends in England, so I don’t miss home so much.
• I have little interest in classical music. I much prefer pop.
• I have a little wine in the cellar. Would you like some?

Rather than little or few, we sometimes prefer to use a negative construction with much or many in conversational English, as it sounds slightly less formal:

He has little money. > He doesn’t have very much money.

She had few friends. > She didn’t have many friends

F.

A little / a bit

A little, a bit and a little bit are often used in colloquial English with little or no difference in meaning. Compare the following:

• You’re driving too fast. Could you please slow down a little (bit) more?
• It was a long journey and I was feeling a bit / a little (bit) tired.

Bit can also combine with of before nouns to suggest a limited amount of something. Compare the following:

• Let me give you a bit of advice. Don’t drive speedily in built-up areas.
• I’m not very hungry after the journey. I’ll just have a bit of bread and cheese.
• I’ve got a bit of a problem. The car has overheated, so we’ll have to wait for it to cool down.

Little can also be used in this way:

• Would you like to try a bit of this / a little of this very sweet dessert?
• I’d love a bit of your / a little of your apple and walnut cake. It looks and smells delicious.