When should you use 'few' and when should you use 'little'?

Answer 1

Few means a small number (or a relatively small number) of things/people etc, and is used where there are individual items that can be counted.

Example sentences:

• Very few people reach the age of 120.
• Many are called, but few are chosen.
• There are a few things I must do before I go away on holiday.

Little means 'small' and relates to relative size or volume, rather than number. It is also used with 'uncountable' nouns.

Some example sentences:

• The little child stared at the huge elephant and said ...
• So much to do, too little time.
• The crops are failing because there has been little rainthis season.
• The rescuers said they had little hope of finding any survivors.

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Examples of few and little used together:

• The old man has few teeth in his mouth and little hair on his head.
• At the conference there were few (not many) in attendance, and little (not much) interest in the issues being presented.

Number? or Size?

1. "I've got a few pimples on my face." - This indicates how many pimples. (not many, as it happens!)
2. "I've got a little pimple on my face." - This tells us the size of the pimple.
3. Doctor to patient: "Don't worry. You've ony got a few little pimples on your back." - This tells us how many pimples, AND what size they are!

SOME NOUNS are always 'uncountable', such as sugar, flour, bacon, wine, hope, etc. To indicate a small amount, the word little can be used.

• "Would you like a little brandy in your coffee?" NOT "Would you like a a few brandy in your coffee?"

WITH 'COUNTABLE' nouns, the word few can be used is used.

• "Few people are over 8 feet tall.", NOT "Little people are over 8 feet tall."!

SUMMARY:

'Few' means a small number and is used with plural countable nouns.

'Little' means small. It also means a small un-numberable amount, and is used with uncountable nouns.

More examples of usage:

Some of us know a little* about a lot of things.

*a small but uncountable amount

(comment: knowledge is an uncountable noun)

Some of us know a lot about a few* things.

*a small number

(comment: the noun 'things' is countable)

But few of us know a little about everything.

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Little did we suspect he had only a few dollars with him, though a few of us realized he'd contribute little towards the restaurant bill.

Few of the items on the menu were cheap; we'd hoped he'd pay a little towards the total.

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The screen was very small; few could use a monitor as little as that.

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Jay grew fewer bananas (less in number) than Lee, but Lee's bananas were littler (smaller in size) than Jay's.

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Answer 2

Use 'few' when referring to countable objects or people, such as "fewer people attended the event." Use 'little' when referring to non-countable nouns, such as "she prepared little food for the party."