There isn't much water

Question

I would like to be sure about the use of "much" in these sentences:

There isn't much water

Is there much water?

I suppose they are correct, but what about:?

There is much water.

Is the latter correct?

late = "last one" - Izanoni1, Mar 4, 2010

Answer 1

There is much water is OK but not usually what we would say. In the US " a lot" would be more common. There is a lot of water. The other two are perfect.

Answer 2

Definitely "there isn't much water" and "is there much water" are gramatically correct. A lot/lots of is used in positive statements, "there is a lot of water". Much is also used in positive sentences, but it sounds very formal, in expressions like "She has much experience in this field". It's also used in positive sentences in expressions "as much as", "too much", "half as much", "much of", "so much", "very much" etc.

"half as much" ... What is that, Issabela? - nila45, Mar 4, 2010

Answer 3

Many is used with countable nouns, mainly in questions and negatives. In positive sentences it sounds formal (e.g. In many cases workers were being employed without a written contract.) and in everyday English a bit unnatural, it's substituted with a lot of/lots of. Again, it's common to use many in the following expressions: many of, too many, a good many, a great many, not very many, many a, so many.

If you're interested with more examples, have a look here for many and here for much. There are lots of good examples

Answer 4

Ok, and what about?

There are many people

There aren't many people

Are there many people?

They're all correct :) The first one ' there are many people' would sound better 'there are a lot of people' however. - --Jen--, Mar 4, 2010

Answer 5

This is copied and pasted from Mc Millan Dictionary:

Much- [usually in negatives or questions] a large amount of something

It’s a small car that doesn’t use much fuel.

I don’t pretend to know much about art.

Many- a large number of people, things, places etc

Did you get many responses to your advertisement?

I haven’t told many people that I am pregnant.

I’ve been to their house many times.

In many cases workers were being employed without a written contract.

Nila, isn't it similar to mucho and muchas? - Yeser007, Mar 4, 2010

Much = mucho,a Many = muchos, as - nila45, Mar 5, 2010

Answer 6

I am seeing that "much" must be used in negative and interrogative sentences.

But "many" can be used in statements, negative and interrogative sentences. In fact, the first example in Mc Millan's Dictionary appear in an statement. Therefore, it can be used in an statement too.

Answer 7

There isn't much water - sounds fine

Is there much water? - makes perfect sense.

There is much water.- I've never heard anyone say this, and it doens't quite make sense, However, I would understand you if you said it to me. 'There is a lot of water' would sound better.

Is the late correct? - should be 'Is the latter correct?'

Good job though