1. Complete the following sentences with ‘some’ or ‘any’.

1. … people say that it is difficult to learn a foreign language. But I’ve never had … problems.

2. Good morning. I’d like … new potatoes, please. Are there … peas yet, or is it too early?

3. Why don’t you ask the bank to lend you … money?

4. Would you like … more wine? - I don’t want … more.

5. He never gives me … encouragement. I wish he would.

6. I made this dress myself without … help at all.

7. Were you having … trouble with your car today? I saw you trying to fix it.

8. Don’t worry. If I find … of your books, I’ll send them to you.

9. These aren’t my books. Did I take … of yours by mistake?

10. Buying shoes is so difficult. I can’t find …that I like.

11. Could you give me … information about trains and times?

12. If you have … trouble, just give me a ring.

13. Do you mind if I put … music on?

14. Did you meet … interesting people on holiday?

15. I’ve got too many strawberries. Would you like …?

16. Have you got tickets for … concert next month?

17. I bought this video here yesterday. Shouldn’t there be … instructions with it?

18. There is little point in doing … more work now.

19. Sorry, we haven’t got … razor blades.

20. … cars parked on this road will be towed away.

2. Choose the right word.

1. We have imported fewer/less videos this year than last year.

2. There has been fewer/less demand for videos this year than last year.

3. A number of/a small amount of vehicles has just been recalled because of a design fault.

4. Many/much effort has been put into this project.

5. There isn’t many/much hope of finding the fault.

6. There aren’t many/much dictionaries that can compare with this one.

7. A big amount/a number of businesses have gone bankrupt this year.

8. Sell this car. We’ve had enough/hardly any trouble with it already.

9. There have been a huge amount of/hardly any accidents on this corner this year.

10. There have been much/many changes in the new edition.

11. There has been few/little change in the new edition.

12. There have been little/hardly any changes to our plans.

13. You only need a few/a small amount of salt in a dish like this.

14. We need a bit of/a couple of people to work in our new warehouse.

15. There were lots of/much complaints about the service.

16. Your café is excellent. Hardly any/no people have complained either about the food or the service.

17. How much did we make yesterday? $200? – No, much less/a few less than that.

18. You’ve had enough food already and you can’t have any more/some more.

19. There are much more/many more people who give up smoking these days.

20. Newspapers have many less/much less freedom than you think.

21. Lots more/much more young people are passing their driving test the first time.

22. I’ll help myself to some more/any more of these vegetables.

23. There’s been a lot less/many less interest in this idea than we expected.

24. There’ve been no less/no fewer than forty applicants for this job.

25. We need many more/much more of this material but it is hard to get.

26. I’ve got much more/many more experience in business than you think.

***

How (27) many/much lists is your name on? There must be (28) a great deal of/plenty of lists of names in every part of the world and they must be used to send information to (29) million/millions of people. The (30) number/amount of letters ordinary people receive these days has greatly increased.

(31) Most/Most of the people I know object to receiving unwanted letters. (32) Much/many of the mail we receive goes straight into the waste-paper basket. That’s why (33) most/most of the people refer to it as ‘junk mail’. It would be better for all of us if we received (34) much/many less junk mail and, as a result, saved (35) many/much more trees from destruction. (36) A huge amount/a great number of trees must be wasted each year to produce mountains of junk mail.

Recently I received a very welcome (37) number/bit of junk mail. It was a leaflet urging me not to waste paper and to return junk mail to the sender. ‘If we do this’, the leaflet said, ‘we will reduce (38) the number/the amount of trees being destroyed. I agree with every word they said, but why did they have to send four copies of the leaflet?