Much and many are easy to confuse, especially for language learners coming from European languages like French, German, Spanish, and Italian. The difference can cause even the most advanced learner to make a mistake. While the mistake usually doesn’t cause a problem for comprehension on the part of the English listener, it can be a distraction within a conversation.
My colleague Lauren, in this helpful video, has gone through the rules that distinguish the difference between much and many. You should, if at all possible, memorize these rules, and remind yourself of them when you encounter much or many in spoken English.
Of course, it’s difficult to remember the rules in the heat of battle. As an English speaker, I have never once had to remind myself to use much with non-countable nouns and to use many with countable nouns. However, when I try to remember a rule when speaking French, I promptly get flustered and end up ordering something at the pizzeria that I really didn’t want or switching to English, which is even more embarrassing.
The language learner’s goal is to get to a point where you know the rule, but you don’t have to remember it when you’re mid-conversation. So, as an experiment, try reviewing the following ten phrases, even half-memorizing them; focus especially on the combination of modifier and the noun. Why? Times always needs many, but time always needs much. Faith and other abstract concepts like emotions always need much. Bottles, apples, and many other items from the grocery store need many as long as you’re talking about quantity, however small things like rice and sugar, or liquids like milk and coffee are uncountable and use much.
Your goal: to get your ear used to common much/many combinations so that even though you understand the rule, you don’t have to rely on it when you’re ordering to-go pizzas. Try to find a context where you can use these phrases with your class or an English-speaking friend. It’s worth noting that both ‘much’ and ‘many’ are often used in questions.
Many (for countable nouns)
1. I’m going to the SAQ. How many bottles of wine should I buy?
2. How many times have we run out of class time before we could discuss the difference between ‘much’ and ‘many’?
3. There were too many people at the grocery store, so I left.
4. Many Canadian retailers are filing for bankruptcy due to a sharp decline in sales.
5. For many users, the software was difficult and confusing.
Much (for non-countable nouns)
1. I’m going to the SAQ. How much wine should I buy? (Notice here that wine is uncountable, but as we see above, bottles are countable. )
2. I don’t have much faith in Ridley Scott. Alien was good, but it’s been all downhill from there.
3. You should buy your popcorn now. There isn’t much time until the movie starts.
4. I haven’t made much progress on my book since the last time we talked about it.
5. The software was much too difficult to use.
6. How much time will it take us to finish the report?
Remember: try, try again. Much and many are important to learn and master, but it will take time, and you will make mistakes, and this mistake is not an especially difficult one for English-speakers to understand. When you receive a correction from a tutor, instructor, or English-speaking friend, remind yourself of the rule, but also take the time to repeat the correction to yourself a few times. Try to let the rhythm of too many people, too much time, how many times filter through your head and train your ear.
With practice, everyone improves.
by Nathan R. Elliott