A few / a little / some

(a) Pour a little oil into the pan. (You could say pour some of the oil into the pan but the orginal sentence is better as it tells you that you need some but not a lot).

(b) There isn't any sugar left in the jar. (There is a some/little sugar left in the jar).

(c) Could I have some / any / a few sweets? - You do hear all these being said but I would say Could I have any sweets?

(a) Pour a little / some / much oil into the pan.
(b) There isn't any / some / a little sugar left in the jar.

(c) Could I have some / any / a few sweets?

(d) She ate a little / some rice because she was not hungry.

(e) There are a few / some coins on the desk.

Sorry just read my post on B. I have a typo: There is some/a little sugar left in the jar is the correct sentence in brackets.

Sorry! I shouldn't have crossed out 'a little' in (D). When I first read it, I took 'little' for an adjective and that's why I judged it incorrect but now I see it's not an adjective at all.

Dave Phillips(e) There are a few coins on the desk (A few if they are countable)

Hi Dave,
What's wrong with 'some' going with countable nouns?

Michal

I didn't explain my meaning very well. You can use some with countable nouns. I meant if there were an amount that could be counted easily then I would use a few. If there was a pile of coins which takes a lot of counting or lots of different types I would use some.

MichalSI took 'little' for an adjective and that's why I judged it incorrect but now I see it's not an adjective at all.

I know what you mean, but as a point of interest: A little is a postdeterminer here (i.e. a type of adjective). Note that a little acts as a single unit, even though it is two words (same applies to a few). Not to b

Thanks Dave and Bill for the clarifications!

(d) She ate a little / some rice because she was not hungry.