0
Bbk_agp Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

"many" in positive sentence?

Hi

In grammar they say that "many" and "much" are used in negative and questions. Is there any way that they are used in positive sentences? How about sentence below:

It is made with a great many layers of meat, cheese...

Thanks
  

Top answer

It is made with a great many layers of meat, cheese... )

— Yoong Liat

  • It is made with a great many layers of meat, cheese...
  • )
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

11 Answers
0
It is made with a great many layers of meat, cheese... (Sentence is fine.)
0
0
Bbk_agpIs there any way that they are used in positive sentences?
Yes, of course. The use of those words is not limited to negative sentences and questions.

Your sentence is fine.
0
0
Thanks for your answers. But in Grammar Spot they said that we use "many" and "much" in negative and question sentences. How can we justify this usage at positive sentences to students?
0
0
I suggest that you do some research on these words to see how they are used by native speakers. You can find thousands of example sentences at the COCA and FrazeIt.
0
0
Bbk_agpin Grammar Spot they said that we use "many" and "much" in negative and question sentences.
The reference is to the fact that the use of 'a lot (of)' in the assertions below ( 3 ) and ( 6 ) is preferred over 'many' or 'much' by quite a few native speakers.

1 Do you have [many / a lot of] problems?
2 I don't have [many / a lot of] problems.
0
0
CalifJim1 Do you have [many / a lot of] problems?
2 I don't have [many / a lot of] problems.
3 I have [?many / a lot of] problems.
4 Does she read [much / a lot]?
5 She doesn't read [much / lot].
6 She reads [?much / a lot].
True, but it’s oversimplifications like "We use ’many’ and ’much’ in negative and question sentences" that can do mor
0
0
Aspara Guscan do more harm than good
I have no such fears.
______________________

By the way, She reads much comes close to 'non-native' to my ear.
0
0
CalifJimDoesn't anything at all strike you as non-native in the following interchange?
Of course, but I’m more interested in all of those COCA citations for many and much used in positive sentences that sound perfectly native to me.

I just think that it would be better to tell learners that there are some cases where many a
0
0
Aspara GusI just think that it would be better to tell learners that there are some cases where many and much are not natural in positive sentences
OK. Then the next question is obvious. Which cases are those?

If you don't tell the learner any more than "Sometimes doing X is natural and sometimes doing X is not natural", how far along
0
0
CalifJimOK. Then the next question is obvious. Which cases are those?
If you don't tell the learner any more than "Sometimes doing X is natural and sometimes doing X is not natural", how far along have you gotten him?
Well, I could of course go on to provide any unnatural examples, such as yours, that come to mind.
0

Related Questions