“Little” vs. “Few”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “little” and “few”

  • The main difference between "little" and "few" is that "little" is used with uncountable nouns, while "few" is used with countable nouns.
  • "Little" often describes size or importance, while "few" describes number or quantity.
  • "Little" carries a connotation of neutrality or smallness, while "few" can imply scarcity or a negative connotation.
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What is the definition of “little” and “few”?

Little
  • "Little" means a small amount or quantity of something.
  • It can also be used to describe the size, amount, or importance of something.
  • It is often used with uncountable nouns.
Few
  • "Few" means a small number of people or things.
  • It is used to describe a small quantity of countable nouns.
  • It often implies scarcity or a sense of insufficiency.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Few” is the more popular variant on the web.
Little
5,250,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. There's little time left before the deadline.
  2. The little girl hugged her teddy bear tightly.
  3. John had little knowledge about history, but he was willing to learn.
More popular
Few
5,600,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. There were few people in the park during the rain.
  2. I read a few books over summer vacation
  3. We have few options left, so we need to make a decision quickly.
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