English — much / many / a lot of / plenty
To talk about quantity, English chooses the word by the type of noun and the type of sentence. Use many with countable nouns (many books), much with uncountable nouns (much time), and a lot of / lots of / plenty of in affirmative sentences with both.
How it works
Many pairs with countable plural nouns (I don't have many friends), much with uncountable nouns and is used mainly in questions and negatives (I don't have much money; Do you drink much coffee?). In affirmative sentences, prefer a lot of, lots of or plenty of, which work with both types (I have a lot of friends; There's plenty of time). Ask about quantity with How many + countable (How many people?) and How much + uncountable (How much water?).
Examples
| Quantifier | Example and use |
|---|---|
| many books | countable plural — There aren't many books left. |
| much time | uncountable, negative/question — We don't have much time. |
| a lot of friends | affirmative, countable — She has a lot of friends. |
| lots of money | affirmative, uncountable, informal — They spent lots of money. |
| plenty of time | "more than enough" — There's plenty of time. |
| How many people? | asking quantity, countable — How many people came? |
| How much water? | asking quantity, uncountable — How much water do you need? |
Good to know
In everyday affirmatives, much before a noun sounds stiff or over-formal: say I have a lot of money, not I have much money. After too, so, as and very, however, much and many are natural in affirmatives: too much sugar, so many people, as much as possible. Also note the countable/uncountable split can differ from your language — money and information are uncountable in English (much money, much information — never many moneys).