"Not much" vs "Not many"

Question

"Not much" vs "Not many"

Both 'not many' and 'not much' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Not many' is used when referring to countable nouns, while 'not much' is used with uncountable nouns. It's important to match the correct phrase with the type of noun being described.

Last Updated: March 26, 2024

Use 'not much' when you are talking about a small amount of something that cannot be counted. For example, 'There is not much sugar left in the jar.'

Examples:

There is not much time left before the deadline.
She does not have much money in her wallet.
There is not much milk in the fridge.
Not much effort was put into the project.
There is not much information available on the topic.

Alternatives:

little
a small amount of
scant
limited
hardly any

Use 'not many' when you are talking about a small number of countable items. For example, 'There are not many apples left in the basket.'

Examples:

There are not many people at the party.
She has not many friends in this city.
There are not many books on the shelf.
Not many students passed the exam.
There are not many cars in the parking lot.

Alternatives:

few
a small number of
scant
limited
hardly any

Answer 1

Not much

This phrase is correct when referring to uncountable nouns.

Answer 2

Not many

This phrase is correct when referring to countable nouns.

"Not much" vs "Not many"

Not much

Not many

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