“Several”
The quantifier “several” is used to indicate an indefinite but relatively small number or amount. It indicates the quantity which is more than a few, but less than many. It is often used when the exact number is not known or specified.
Examples:
- Several students raised their hands to answer the question.
- I have several books on my shelf that I haven’t read yet.
- She invited several friends to her birthday party.
- The company received several complaints about the product.
In the above examples, “several” implies that there are a small, but noticeable number of students, books, friends, and complaints.
“Many”
The quantifier “many” is used to indicate a large number or a significant amount of something.
Examples:
- Many people attended the concert last night.
- I have many tasks to complete before the deadline.
- There are many books in the library.
- She has visited many countries in her lifetime.
“Few”
The quantifier “few” is used to indicate a small number or a small amount of something. It suggests a scarcity or a lack of something. Again the exact number is not known, but the number is very small.
Examples:
- Few students passed the difficult exam.
- I have few friends who share my interests.
- There are a few options available for dinner tonight.
- She has visited only a few cities in her lifetime.
Quiz
- The party was a great success. ________ people attended the event.
- __________ students passed the challenging exam.
- I have ________ money left in my wallet.
- Which quantifier is the opposite of “many” and suggests a limited or insufficient quantity?
- __________ students have submitted their assignments on time. (the number is small but noticeable)
The sentence states that the party was a great success, indicating a large number of people attending the party. The quantifier “many” is used to denote a significant or substantial amount of something.
The sentence indicates that only a small number of students were able to pass the challenging exam. The quantifier “few” suggests a scarcity or lack of something.
The sentence indicates that there is a small amount of money left in the speaker’s wallet. The quantifier “few” implies scarcity or a lack of something.
The quantifier “few” implies scarcity or a lack of something which is just opposite to the quantifier “many.”
The sentence implies that a small but noticeable number of students have submitted their assignment on time. This means that the appropriate quantifier should be “several.”
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