Количественные местоимения

К количественным местоимениям относятся: many, much – много; few, little – мало; a few, a little – несколько, немного.

Many и few употребляются перед исчисляемыми существительными во множественном числе: many books, many friends, few cars, few students.

Much и little употребляются перед неисчисля­емыми существительными:

much snow, much time, little energy, little luck

Наличие неопределенного артикля перед few и little меняет их значение. Few и little означают мало, недостаточное количество. Употребление перед этими словами неопределенного артикля подчеркивает наличие определенного, хоть и небольшого количества чего-либо: He has few friends. – У него мало друзей. He has a few friends. – У него есть несколько друзей. We have little time. – У нас мало времени. We have a little time. – У нас есть немного времени.

Exercise 1. Fill in the blanks with there is or there are

1. ... a gas-stove and a fridge in our kitchen. 2. ... a lot of furniture in their flat. 3. ... some chocolate and a piece of cake on this plate. 4.... no fruit at home. Will you go and buy some? 5. ... some magazines and a telephone on this little table. 6. ... a lot of work to do this afternoon. 7. ... plenty of knives in the drawer. 8. ... good news for you! 9. ... some money in my purse. You may take it. 10. ... a water-colour and some prints on the walls of his room.

Exercise 2. Fill in the blanks with it is or there is

1. ...fine today. 2. ... no telephone in this flat. 3. ... an underground station not far from my house. 4. ...nearly 10 o’clock. 5. ... a pity that you can’t come with me. 6. ... late. We must hurry. 7. ... a light in the kitchen. Mother is at home. 8. ... no place like home. 9. ... time to go to bed.. 10. . not true to say that she is a close friend of mine. 11. .. windy. I don’t want to go out. 12. ... far from here. Let’s take a taxi.

Exercise 3. Open the brackets and use the comparative form of the adjectives and adverbs

1. This exercise is (simple) than that one. 2. Why are you talking? Please be (quiet). 3. New districts of Moscow are (beautiful) than the old ones. 4. He is (clever) than his brother. 5. My (old) sister is 4 years (old) than me. 6. There are (many) customers on Saturdays than on weekdays. 7. Are expensive things (good) than cheap ones? 8. Is English grammar (difficult) than Russian grammar? 9. He has made (few) mistakes than yesterday. 10. She had to give us (far) information though she didn't want to. 11. Students from Group 3 are (industrious) than those from Group 12. They have got down to business without any (far) delay. 14. This matter is (urgent) than that one. 15. He plays tennis (bad) than she. 16. He's got a still (old) edition of this book. 17. (far) details will be given tomorrow. 18. Motor-cycles are (noisy) than cars, aren't they?

Exercise 4. Choose the right variant

1. Martin was the (more talented/most talented) of the two brothers. 2. Of the three shirts I like the blue one (better/best). 3. My dog is the (prettier/prettiest) of the two. 4. This summary is the (better/best) of the two presented. 5. There are nine planets in our solar system and Pluto is the (farther/farthest). 6. Mary is the (tallest/ taller) of the two girls. 7. The boss likes my plan (better/ best) of the two. 8. This is the (less difficult/least difficult) of the four cases. 9. This knife is the (sharpest/ sharper) of the two. 10. Mother was the (more/most) beautiful of seven daughters.

Exercise 5. Make up sentences according to the example

Example: life/becoming/hard — Life is becoming harder and harder.

life/becoming/difficult — Life is becoming more and more difficult.

1) people/living/long 2) going abroad/becoming/popular 3) crime/becoming/common

4) the light in the rooms/becoming/dim 5) computers/becoming/expensive 6) factories/employing/few/workers 7) his heart/beating/hard 8) Moscow/becoming/beautiful 9) his voice/becoming/weak 10) nights- in winter/becoming/long

Exercise 6. Give the superlative form of the adjectives in brackets

1. The Pan-American Highway is (long) road in the world. 2. The Beatles were (successful) pop group. 3. Japan has (crowded) railways in the world. 4. This is our (old) national airline. 5. The Chrysler Building was once (tall) in the world. 6. Is English (useful) language to learn? 7. This is one of (expensive) stores in the city. 8. The Queen must be (rich) woman in the world. 9. Is the Mona Lisa (valuable) painting in the world? 10. His house is (far) in the street. 11. February is (snowy) and (cold) month of the year here. 12. (dangerous) spider is the black widow, whose bite can kill a man in a few minutes.13. The world's (expensive) perfume costs $550 per bottle. 14. (deep) part of the Pacific Ocean is 11 kilometres below the sea-level. 15.1 wonder what his (near) step is going to be. 16. Who are (old) members of the club? 17. It was (late) thing I expected of him. 18. The diamond is (hard) mineral in the world. 19. His house is (far) in our street.

Exercise 7. Fill in the blanks with as ... as. so ... as, than

1. Nothing is more pleasant ... to sit in a comfortable chair and read an interesting book. 2. Your sister is ... young ... his. 3. The dining-room is much bigger ... the study. 4. Our teacher is not ... old ... theirs. 5. My brother is older ... I am, but he is younger ... my sister. 6. The study is not ... big ... the bedroom. 7. The Sun is bigger ... the Earth. 8. This street is ... wide ... the next one. 9. His radio set is not ... powerful ... mine. 10. This English book is not... difficult... that one. 11. This woman is ... old ... you are.

Exercise 8. Translate into English using the proper degrees of the words in bold type

1. Возьмите этот чемодан (suitcase), он легче вашего. 2. В районе West End находятся самые дорогие магазины. 3. Что ты собираешься делать дальше? 4. Я думаю, что он старше вас, помоложе меня. 5. Это самый талантливый студент в нашей группе. 6. Хотя у нас были самые плохие места, нам очень понравился спектакль (performance). 7. Где ближайшее почтовое отделение?. 9. Они получили дополнительные сведения по этому вопросу.

Exercise 9. Fill in the blanks with some, any or no

1. Are there ... letters for me? No, there aren’t... letters for you. There are... letters in the letter-box. 2. You have... very nice water-colours here. 3. I have got ... interesting books to read. 4. There aren’t... magazines here. 5. There are ... coat-hangers in the wardrobe. 6. I have got... interesting news to tell you. 7. There isn’t ... butter on the table. Take ... fresh butter from the fridge. 8. Will you have a cup of tea? There is ... hot water in the kettle. 9. I have got ... time to speak to you now. I am very busy. 10. Have you got... English records at home? 11. You may read ... book you like. 12. Where can I buy ... flowers? 13. I am interested in ... information you can give me on this question. 14. May I have ... water, please? 15. Give me ... money if you have ... . 16. If you have ... idea about it, please tell it to me. 17. If you see ... nice prints, buy them, please.

Exercise 10. Make the following sentences a) negative, b) interrogative

1. 1. There are some flowers in the vase on the table. 2. There are some fresh newspapers in the letter-box. 3. There are some dirty dishes in the sink. 4. There are some pictures in this magazine. 5. There are some mistakes in your test- paper. 6. There are some fish in the bag.

2. 1. There is some meat in the fridge. 2. There is some milk in the bottle. 3. There is some tooth-paste in the tube. 4. There is some bread on the plate. 5. There is some boiled water in the kettle. 6. There is some beautiful fruit in the shop-window.

Exercise 11. a) Fill in the blanks with much, many, little, few. a lot of. plenty of. a great deal of

1.. There are ... students in the hall. 2. There is ... furni­ture in this room. 3. I haven’t ... time today. 1 am very busy. 4. She has ... Russian but... English books. 5. Please don’t make so ... noise. 6. I have ... mistakes in my dictation. 7. Are there ... rooms in your flat? 8. I have ... ink in my ink-pot. Give me some, please. 9. Are there ... new houses in your street? 10.; There isn’t ... paper in the drawer. 11. There is ... fruit in the fruit-stall.

b) Fill in the blanks with a few, a little

1. 1 have got ... pictures in the room, but not many. 2. There is ... bread in the cupboard. Take it. 3. There are only ... cigarettes in the box. 4. ... books are lying on the table, but there are no magazines there. 5. I have ... money in my pocket. 6. Give me ... water, please, I am very thirsty. 7. I have just ... prints, but they all are very good. 8. We have got ... fish. Have some.

Exercise 12. Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions and translate the sentences into Russian

1. Please take that thick book … the table, Kate. 2. Please put your exercise-books … your bag, Ann. 3. The black pen is … the exercise-book and the brown pen is … that book. 4. Fred is … home now. 5. Please go … that table, Jack, and sit … . 6. Don’t give me your exercise-book. Please put it … the table. 7. Open your book … page eight, please. 8. Please take that red cup … that boy. 9. Please take that book … the table, Jane, open it … page five and read Note Five. 10. Don’t copy out Text Seven now, do it … home. 11. Please close your book and put it … your brief-case. It’s … your brief-case now. 12. Please put a spoon … your cup, Ben. 13. Please take your pen … the table and put it … your bag, Jane. Now please take it … … your bag and put it … the book. 14. Please go … your table and take your book … … your bag. 15. Please look … the blackboard. 16. Please take the cup … Jane and put it … the table.