many
/ˈmen.i/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈɛni] /ˈmen.i/ (ame, ipa) · [mˈɛni] /ˈme-nē/ (ame, mw)
many — determiner
1. placed before a plural noun to say there is a big quantity of people or things.
placed before a plural noun to say there is a big quantity of people or things. This word shows up often in questions like 'how many…?', in negative sentences with 'not many', and joined with modifiers such as 'too,' 'so,' or 'as.'
Not many people came to the meeting last night.
not many + plural noun in negative
How many books did Valentina read this summer?
how many + plural noun in question
There are too many cars on the roads in Taipei.
Obi has as many toys as his older brother.
Mei-Lin does not have many friends in this city yet, but she enjoys clinic work.
- few
used with countable nouns to mean a small number
文法句型
many + plural noun
not many + plural noun
how many + plural noun + ?
too many + plural noun
so many + plural noun
as many + plural noun + as
用法筆記
In everyday affirmative statements, 'a lot of' or 'lots of' are more common than 'many' in informal English. 'Many' is preferred in formal writing and in negative and question forms.
常見錯誤
2. used with a singular noun and a singular verb to talk about a large number of pe
used with a singular noun and a singular verb to talk about a large number of people or things, where each one is thought of separately. This construction is more common in formal or literary English.
Many a student has failed the university's rigorous entrance exam.
many a + singular noun + singular verb
Nellie has spent many a late night studying for her tests.
Many a child has learned to swim in this lake.
The old theatre has seen many a wonderful performance.
- numerous
more formal; 'many a' is a literary construction while 'numerous' works in standard formal prose
文法句型
many a + singular noun + singular verb
用法筆記
The verb after 'many a + singular noun' is always singular, even though the meaning is plural. This is a fixed grammatical pattern that does not follow normal subject-verb agreement rules.
常見錯誤
many — pronoun
1. used instead of a plural noun phrase to point to many people or things that list
used instead of a plural noun phrase to point to many people or things that listeners already know about from earlier talk or the situation.
Many of the students said the test was too hard.
many of + noun phrase + verb
Vivek invited many of his classmates to the party.
How many of your classmates do you think will attend the graduation party?
Not many of the old buildings were saved from the fire.
Some people liked the film, but many found it boring.
- few
used as a pronoun to mean a small number
文法句型
many of + noun phrase + plural verb
many + plural verb
not many + plural verb
用法筆記
When 'many' is used alone as a pronoun (without 'of'), the referent must be clear from the context. In affirmative sentences, 'a lot' or 'lots' are more common in informal speech.
2. used with a plural verb to mean most people in general, without referring to a s
used with a plural verb to mean most people in general, without referring to a specific group that was mentioned before.
Many believe that studying a second language can open doors in life.
many as general subject meaning 'most people'
Many feel that the city of Taipei should spend more on public parks.
As many have noted, moving to a new country requires patience.
Many would agree that walking for thirty minutes each day improves your health.
- most people
more explicit and less formal
- the majority
more formal, often used in political or statistical contexts
- few
as a general reference, means only a small number of people
文法句型
many + plural verb + that-clause
用法筆記
Distinguish from the first pronoun sense (LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE/THINGS): this sense does not refer back to a specific group. It is a general statement about what most people think or do.
many — adjective
- manypositive
- maniercomparative
- maniestsuperlative
1. existing in or forming a number that is large, without saying exactly how large.
existing in or forming a number that is large, without saying exactly how large.
Sumin has visited many countries in Southeast Asia.
The museum attracts many visitors from all over the world every weekend.
In many ways, this small fishing village feels like the town I grew up in.
The nurse has many years of experience with children.
The shelter provides warm meals for many homeless families every evening.
文法句型
many + plural noun
in many + noun
用法筆記
As an adjective, 'many' comes before the noun it describes (attributive position). It is not usually used after a linking verb like 'be'; instead, speakers say 'there are many...' or 'the numbers are large.'
2. being one individual among a large group of similar people or things.
being one individual among a large group of similar people or things.
Mira is one of many talented musicians at the school.
one of many + plural noun
This is just one reason among many for choosing renewable energy.
Rodrigo is one of many volunteers who helped build the park.
Dr. Okafor is one among many scientists who study the effects of climate change.
- countless
stronger emphasis on too many to count
- innumerable
very formal, literary register
文法句型
one of many + plural noun
用法筆記
This sense always appears in the pattern 'one of many' or 'among many,' where 'many' describes the size of the group that something belongs to.
many — noun
1. a large but not exactly counted number of people or things, used in fixed phrase
a large but not exactly counted number of people or things, used in fixed phrases like 'the many,' 'a good many,' and 'a great many.'
A good many of the trees fell during the storm.
a good many of + noun phrase
The event drew a great many visitors from nearby towns.
a great many + plural noun
Trang collected a good many seashells on the beach.
The many who signed up for the race surprised the staff.
- few
small number, used in 'the few' as a contrasting noun phrase
文法句型
the many + of + noun phrase
a good many + of + noun phrase
a great many + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
As a noun, 'many' almost always appears in the fixed phrases 'a good many,' 'a great many,' or 'the many.' It is not used alone as a countable noun like 'a number' — you cannot say '*a many of people.'
常見錯誤
2. the largest group of people in a society or situation, viewed as a whole. Used e
the largest group of people in a society or situation, viewed as a whole. Used especially in contrast with 'the few.'
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, the senator argued.
the many contrasted with the few
The many should not lose their jobs because of the mistakes of a few managers.
In a democracy, the will of the many is reflected through fair elections.
The new healthcare policy was designed to benefit the many, not just the wealthy few.
- the majority
more common in everyday English
- the masses
refers to ordinary people as a group; can have a political tone
- the few
the small minority, used in direct contrast with 'the many'
文法句型
the many + plural verb
用法筆記
This noun sense is almost always used in the fixed pairing 'the many...the few' in political, social, or ethical discussions. It is a formal construction and rarely appears in everyday conversation.