Skip to main content

much and many

The difference​

Much is used with singular (uncountable) nouns; many is used with plurals.

  • I haven’t got much time.
  • I don’t know many of your friends.

much/many of​

We use much/many of before another determiner (article, possessive, etc) or a pronoun. Compare:

  • She didn’t eat much breakfast. (not … much of breakfast.)
    She didn’t eat much of her breakfast. She didn’t eat much of it.
  • There aren’t many large glasses left.
    There aren’t many of the large glasses left. There aren’t many of them left.

However, much of can be used directly before personal and geographical names.

  • I’ve seen too much of Howard recently.
  • Not much of Denmark is hilly.

much/many without a noun​

We can drop a noun after much or many, if the meaning is clear.

  • You haven’t eaten much.
  • ‘Did you find any mushrooms?’ ‘Not many.’

Note that much and many are only used like this when a noun has been dropped.

  • There wasn’t much (food). (but not The food wasn’t much. No noun has been dropped. You couldn’t say The food wasn’t much food.)

Many is not usually used alone to mean ‘many people’.

  • Many people think it’s time for a change. (More natural than Many think …)

Not used in affirmative clauses​

In an informal style, we use much and many mostly in questions and negative clauses. In most informal affirmative clauses they are unusual (especially much); other words and expressions are used instead.

  • ‘How much money have you got?’ ‘I’ve got plenty.’ (not I’ve got much.)
  • He’s got lots of men friends, but he doesn’t know many women. (More natural than He’s got many men friends …)
  • ‘Did you buy any clothes?’ ‘Yes, lots.’ (not Yes, many.)

In a formal style, much and many are more common in affirmative clauses.

  • Much has been written about unemployment. In the opinion of many economists, …

Far and long (= a long time) are also used mostly in questions and negative clauses. (see here), (see here)

After so, as and too​

So much/many, as much/many and too much/many are quite natural in affirmative clauses.

  • There was so much traffic that it took me an hour to get home.
  • I play as much tennis as I can.
  • You make too many mistakes.

my many friends, etc​

Note that many can follow possessives in expressions like my many friends, her many prizes. This is rather formal.

much as adverb​

We can use much as an adverb in questions and negative clauses.

  • Do you work much at weekends?
  • I don’t travel much these days.

We can also use much before comparative adjectives and adverbs, in affirmative clauses as well as questions and negatives.

  • She’s much older than her brother.
  • I don’t drive much faster than you.

Much can be used before some verbs expressing enjoyment, preference and similar ideas, in affirmative clauses as well as questions and negatives, especially in a formal style.

  • I much appreciate your help.
  • We much prefer the country to the town.
  • I didn’t much enjoy the concert.

Very much can be used in affirmative clauses as an adverb.

  • I very much like your new hairstyle.
  • Thank you very much.
note

For much and very with past participles (e.g. much/very amused), (see here)