Expresar su opinión sobre una cantidad
Los cuantificadores few y a few, little y a little parecen casi idénticos pero de hecho son bastante diferentes. Estas expresiones muestran la actitud del locutor sobre la cantidad a la que se refiere, positivamente o negativamente.
Actitud positiva
A few (para nombres enumerables) y a little (para nombres enumerables) describen la cantidad en un sentido positivo, sobreentendiendo que aunque el que habla no tenga muhco, tiene bastante.
Ejemplos
- I've got a few friends. = I have enough friends.
- I have a few flowers in my garden. = I have enough flowers.
- I've got a little money. = I have enough money.
- I have a little free time on Thursdays. = I have enough free time.
Actitud negativa
Few (para nombres enumerables) y little (para nombres inenumerables) describen la cantidan en un sentido negativo. Pueden indicar una imprecisión total sobre el nombre, pero son mas correctos que decir la cantidad directamente.
Ejemplos
- Few people visited him in hospital. = he had almost no visitors, or perhaps no visitors at all.
- I've seen few birds around here. = there are almost no birds, or perhaps not a single bird
- He had little money for treats. = almost no money, or perhaps no money at all
- I have little time for TV = almost no time, or perhaps no time at all