Meaning of few

[Jojo]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #80 "Some, any, few, little", question 4

I only have ......... dollars.

(a) some
(b) any
(c) a little
(d) a few

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #80 "Some, any, few, little", answer 4

I only have a few dollars.

Correct answer: (d) a few
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what is few?
meaning of few, please

Jojo

[Caroline]

Hey Jojo,
FEW means you have a small but indefinite number of things or people. For example: I have a few books on my shelf. You don't know how many books, but you know it's a small amount of books so you say "few".

[Englishfan]

Hi Caroline,

What about the difference between few and a few? For example:

Yesterday only few people attended the meeting. (Here only a small number of people attended the meeting.)

Yesterday quite a few people attended the meeting. (Here a rather large number of people attended the meeting.)

[Caroline]

Dear Englishfan,
There are two ways you can look at it:
First: FEW is for countable nouns and A FEW is for uncountable nouns.

Second: FEW can be used to express something negative. A FEW can be used to express something positive.

Looking at your examples we see:

Yesterday only few people attended the meeting. (Here only a small number of people attended the meeting.)

FEW is expressing something negative. Not many people came.

Yesterday quite a few people attended the meeting. (Here a rather large number of people attended the meeting.)

A FEW is expressing something positive. A good number of people.

[Conchita]

Hello Caroline,

It's very kind of you to offer your help with what seems to be your native language, thank you. Either you really like it or you are an obliging person (when it looks as if there are less and less of those left nowadays, it’s refreshing to be proven otherwise). Perhaps I should do the same in other forums (it would certainly do me no harm). But I must be selfish, since I’d rather be here instead, having a good time.

As to this thread's actual topic, correct me if I'm wrong, but in your explanation:

[Daniela]

I think we can summarize all this in a pretty simple way :)

positive idea (something is enough)
countable nouns - A FEW; There are a few English books in this bookshop. (enough)
uncountable nouns - A LITTLE; I have a little money. (enough to pay for the books)

negative idea (something isn’t enough)
countable nouns - FEW; There are few English books in this bookshop. (not enough)
uncountable nouns - LITTLE; I have little money. (not enough to pay for the books.)

Daniela
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[Alan]

Hi Jojo,

You've certainly started something! I think I'd like to have a go, too.

Let's put these little words in context:

Imagine you want to make some money. You hold a concert but the music is very serious and not many people come to the concert because they don't like this sort of music. After it's over you say:

I wanted to make a little money (not a lot just some) but not many people came to my concert because nowadays there is little interest in serious music (not really very much). Few people want to some out in the evening to a concert (not many really) but at least a few people bought tickets (a small number) As TESCO keeps saying in television advertisements: Every little helps.

Just some thoughts

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Guest]

Dear Conchita
Thanks for pointing that out. Sorry Englishman for that wrong information.

I said:
FEW is for countable nouns and A FEW is for uncountable nouns.

Conchita kindly corrected it.

[bittu]

[Caroline]

Dear Bittu,