A few vs. A little – English Grammar Exercises for A2
Friends come over to your house, and you bring out some light snacks and drinks to offer them. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to fill in the blank. Pay close attention to whether the noun is countable or uncountable, and remember that you are warmly offering food to your guests.
1 I have ______ cookies left in the jar. Would you like some?
(A) a few
(B) a little
(C) much
(D) few
2 Let me pour you ______ juice to drink with those snacks.
(A) little
(B) a few
(C) a little
(D) many
3 There are ______ sandwiches on the plate. Please take one!
(A) much
(B) little
(C) a little
(D) a few
4 Do you want ______ milk in your tea?
(A) a few
(B) a little
(C) few
(D) many
5 I bought ______ cupcakes from the bakery for us. Let’s eat!
(A) much
(B) a little
(C) little
(D) a few
6 We still have ______ time before the movie starts. Let’s eat these chips!
(A) a little
(B) little
(C) many
(D) a few
7 I can put ______ sugar on these strawberries if they are too sour for you.
(A) few
(B) a fews
(C) a little
(D) a few
8 “Do we have any snacks?” – “Yes, I found ______ nuts in the cupboard.”
(A) little
(B) a few
(C) a little
(D) much
9 You should try ______ cheese with those crackers; it tastes amazing!
(A) a little
(B) a few
(C) little
(D) many
10 “Can I have some grapes?” – “Sure, there are ______ left in the bowl.”
(A) a little
(B) fews
(C) little
(D) a few
11 Let me warm up ______ pizza slices from last night for us.
(A) few
(B) a few
(C) a little
(D) much
12 I only have ______ honey, but it is enough for our tea.
(A) many
(B) a few
(C) a little
(D) little
13 Please grab ______ napkins from the kitchen so we don’t make a mess.
(A) much
(B) a few
(C) little
(D) a little
14 I baked a cake today. Let me cut ______ for you to taste.
(A) a few
(B) many
(C) a little
(D) few
15 “Are there any chocolates left?” – “Yes, I saved ______, so help yourself.”
(A) a fews
(B) little
(C) a little
(D) a few
16 I poured ______ hot water into the teapot to brew us some green tea.
(A) little
(B) a little
(C) a few
(D) many
17 We only have ______ apples, but I can slice them up for us to share.
(A) a few
(B) few
(C) a little
(D) much
18 I just added ______ salt to the popcorn to make it taste better.
(A) a little
(B) a few
(C) little
(D) many
19 “Is there enough soda for everyone?” – “I have ______, so we can all have a glass.”
(A) a few
(B) a little
(C) many
(D) little
20 Don’t be shy! There are still ______ crackers in the box, so please eat some more.
(A) a few
(B) a little
(C) little
(D) much
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) a few
Explanation: “Cookies” is a plural countable noun. “A few” gives a positive meaning (“I have some, please eat one”). Option (B) is a Common Mistake (wrong quantifier for countable nouns). Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap (“few” means almost none, which doesn’t fit the hospitable context of offering).
2 (C) a little
Explanation: “Juice” is an uncountable noun. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Meaning Trap (“little” means not enough to share).
3 (D) a few
Explanation: “Sandwiches” is a plural countable noun. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
4 (B) a little
Explanation: “Milk” is an uncountable noun. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
5 (D) a few
Explanation: “Cupcakes” is a plural countable noun. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
6 (A) a little
Explanation: “Time” is an uncountable noun. Option (D) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is a Meaning Trap (“little time” implies there is a rush and no time to eat, but the speaker is inviting them to eat).
7 (C) a little
Explanation: “Sugar” is an uncountable noun. Option (D) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error (“a fews” does not exist). Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
8 (B) a few
Explanation: “Nuts” is a plural countable noun. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
9 (A) a little
Explanation: “Cheese” is an uncountable noun. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
10 (D) a few
Explanation: The pronoun replaces “grapes,” which is a plural countable noun. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
11 (B) a few
Explanation: “Pizza slices” is a countable noun phrase. (Note: “Pizza” is usually uncountable, but “slices” makes it countable). Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
12 (C) a little
Explanation: “Honey” is an uncountable noun. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap (the sentence says “it is enough”, so “little”, which means insufficient, is incorrect).
13 (B) a few
Explanation: “Napkins” is a plural countable noun. Option (D) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
14 (C) a little
Explanation: “Cake” acts as an uncountable noun here (a portion/slice of the whole cake). Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (B) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
15 (D) a few
Explanation: The pronoun replaces “chocolates” (individual pieces), which is countable. You are inviting them to eat (“help yourself”), so it must be positive. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (A) is a Structural Error (“a fews”). Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
16 (B) a little
Explanation: “Hot water” is an uncountable noun. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (A) is a Meaning Trap.
17 (A) a few
Explanation: “Apples” is a plural countable noun. Option (C) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (B) is a Meaning Trap.
18 (A) a little
Explanation: “Salt” is an uncountable noun. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
19 (B) a little
Explanation: “Soda” is an uncountable noun. Since everyone can have a glass, the amount is sufficient, requiring a positive quantifier. Option (A) is a Common Mistake. Option (C) is a Structural Error. Option (D) is a Meaning Trap.
20 (A) a few
Explanation: “Crackers” is a plural countable noun. “Please eat some more” implies a positive, welcoming offer. Option (B) is a Common Mistake. Option (D) is a Structural Error. Option (C) is a Meaning Trap.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The Noun Rule (Countable vs. Uncountable): * A few is STRICTLY used with plural countable nouns (words that end in “s/es”). Example: a few cookies, a few grapes.
- A little is STRICTLY used with uncountable nouns (liquids, powders, abstract concepts). Example: a little juice, a little sugar.
- The Power of “A”: * When you include the article “A” (a few / a little), it carries a Positive meaning. It means “a small amount, but enough to share or do what is needed.”
- If you drop the “A” (few / little), it carries a Negative meaning. It means “almost nothing, not enough.” In contexts of hospitality and offering food, you must always use the positive forms “a few” or “a little”.