Fill in: a little or a few. 1. I drink ----- coffee. 2. I'm going for a walk. I need ----- fresh air. 3. Can I have ----- milk in my tea, please? 4. Last night I went to a restaurant with ----- friends. 5. I can't answer the question; I need ----- time to think. 6. He's not a well-known writer. ----- people know about him. 7. I wrote ----- letters yesterday. 8. We're going to Paris for ----- days. 9. There wasn't much furniture in the room- just a table and ----- chairs. 10. John came back from London ----- days ago.

Решение:

a little используется с неисчисляемыми существительными (coffee, fresh air, milk, time). Означает небольшое количество, но достаточное.

a few используется с исчисляемыми существительными во множественном числе (friends, letters, days, chairs). Означает небольшое количество, но достаточное.

• 1. I drink a little coffee. (coffee - неисчисляемое)
• 2. I'm going for a walk. I need a little fresh air. (fresh air - неисчисляемое)
• 3. Can I have a little milk in my tea, please? (milk - неисчисляемое)
• 4. Last night I went to a restaurant with a few friends. (friends - исчисляемое)
• 5. I can't answer the question; I need a little time to think. (time - неисчисляемое)
• 6. He's not a well-known writer. Few people know about him. (people - исчисляемое, но здесь подразумевается очень малое, недостаточное количество, поэтому 'few' без 'a'. Если бы было 'a few', это значило бы, что знают, но не очень много.)
• 7. I wrote a few letters yesterday. (letters - исчисляемое)
• 8. We're going to Paris for a few days. (days - исчисляемое)
• 9. There wasn't much furniture in the room- just a table and a few chairs. (chairs - исчисляемое)
• 10. John came back from London a few days ago. (days - исчисляемое)

Ответ: 1. a little, 2. a little, 3. a little, 4. a few, 5. a little, 6. Few, 7. a few, 8. a few, 9. a few, 10. a few