A lot

We don’t often say “I like ice cream very much”, we say “I like ice cream a lot”. DON’T say: I very like ice cream. There’s nothing wrong with saying “very much”, it’s just in my experience that “a lot” is said a lot more. Because of Chinese grammar students often say ‘I very like…’.

‘Too much/many’-only said for bad things ‘Too much/many’-only said for bad things. High school students have too much homework. He has too much stress. NOT-He has too many friends. OK-He has a lot of friends. NOT-Sarah has too much time on the weekend. OK-Sarah has a lot of time on the weekend. (These are good things.) Students will say ‘too much’ or ‘too many’ for both good and bad things because it’s said this way in Chinese.

How many fish are there? I will read the question, then I’ll have the students answer by saying “a lot of …”. After they answer I will then show them the next slide with the answer. They will catch on after you do the first one. Image courtesy of chayathonwong2000 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A lot of fish Image courtesy of chayathonwong2000 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How much money is this? Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A lot of money Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

He has a lot of money. I want a lot of money He has a lot of money. I want a lot of money. I don’t have a lot of money. I don’t have much money. (CANNOT say ‘I have much money’)

How many strawberries are there? Image courtesy of Apolonia at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A lot of strawberries Image courtesy of Apolonia at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How many clothes are there? Image courtesy of Supertrooper at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A lot of clothes How do you say ‘clothes’? Many, many students mistakenly say ‘clotheses’ for the plural form. Image courtesy of Supertrooper at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How many ants are there? Image courtesy of SweetCrisis at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A lot of ants Image courtesy of SweetCrisis at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How much shopping have they done? I point out that ‘a lot’ isn’t just used with things, nouns. I point out that it can be used with actions too. Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

They have done a lot of shopping. Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How much work does she have to do? Image courtesy of jesadaphorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

She has a lot of work. Image courtesy of jesadaphorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How much fun are they having? Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

They are having a lot of fun. Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Negative use: don’t have a lot of… doesn’t have a lot of…

He doesn’t have … of time. Image courtesy of iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

He doesn’t have a lot of time. Image courtesy of iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Ask each other the following questions Ask each other the following questions. Say the phrase ‘a lot’ at least once every time you answer. When you answer explain why you feel that way. You have a lot of questions to answer!

Would you rather have a lot of money and die at age 65 or be middle class and live fifteen years longer? Would you rather eat a lot of meat or a lot of noodles? Would you rather do a lot of housework or a lot of cooking? Would you rather have a lot of money or be smart? Would you rather eat a lot of candy or a lot of French fries? Would you rather have a lot of money and an unhappy marriage or be middle class and have a happy marriage? What would you do if you gained a lot of weight? If a lot of your friends got a part-time job would you do it too? What hobby would you do if you had a lot of extra time? What problems are there with drinking a lot of soda? What five things would you do if you had a lot of money? What do you think is wrong that a lot of people do? What do you think takes a lot of courage to do?