🧠 TOEIC Trap: Few / A Few / Little / A Little

Same base word. Totally different meaning. One wrong choice = lost point.

You see a blank.
The noun looks simple — "time," "options," or "effort."
But TOEIC gives you this:

“We have ___ time left.”

You remember seeing all four choices before:

  • few

  • a few

  • little

  • a little

They all feel familiar. But only one fits.
TOEIC wants to see if you understand the difference in feeling — not just form.

Let’s lock this in.

🎯 Why This Trap Works

ETS mixes these up because:

  • They look similar

  • They’re used with similar nouns

  • Their meaning changes based on whether “a” is there or not

This trap is about logic — not memorization.

📘 Coaching Breakdown

There are two groups here:

| Countable nouns → few / a few
| Uncountable nouns → little / a little

But the real trap is this:

  • few / little = almost none (negative meaning)

  • a few / a little = some (positive meaning)

✅ Countable = few / a few

Countable nouns = options, chances, people, ideas, questions

✅ We have a few questions. (＝ある → 少しある)
✅ We have few questions. (＝ほとんどない → 足りない)

Same noun. Totally different message.

✅ Uncountable = little / a little

Uncountable nouns = time, money, water, energy, effort

✅ There is a little time left. (＝少しある → なんとかなる)
✅ There is little time left. (＝ほとんどない → 間に合わない)

Again — the “a” changes everything.🧠 TOEIC Logic ShortcutCheck the noun:

  1. → Can you count it? ✅ few / a few
    → Can’t count it? ✅ little / a little

  2. Decide the message:
    → Negative tone (not enough)? ✅ few / little
    → Positive tone (some, but limited)? ✅ a few / a little

🧪 Coached TOEIC Questions

1. There are ___ options left, so we need to choose quickly.
(A) few
(B) a few
(C) little
(D) a little

✅ Correct: B
➡ "Options" = countable. Tone = positive. ✅ a few

2. We have ___ time to prepare before the meeting.
(A) few
(B) a few
(C) little
(D) a little

✅ Correct: D
➡ "Time" = uncountable. Tone = positive. ✅ a little

3. There were ___ people in the audience. The room was almost empty.
(A) a few
(B) few
(C) little
(D) a little

✅ Correct: B
➡ "People" = countable. Tone = negative. ✅ few

4. I had ___ energy left after the presentation.
(A) little
(B) a little
(C) few
(D) a few

✅ Correct: A
➡ "Energy" = uncountable. Tone = negative. ✅ little

📝 Practice Test

1. They have ___ experience with this type of system.
(A) few
(B) a few
(C) little
(D) a little

2. We got ___ responses to the survey.
(A) few
(B) little
(C) a little
(D) much

3. I had ___ money left after shopping.
(A) a few
(B) a little
(C) few
(D) little

4. There are ___ chairs available in the back.
(A) a little
(B) few
(C) a few
(D) little

✅ Answer Key + Mini-Coaching

  1. ✅ C → “Experience” = uncountable, tone = negative → little

  2. ✅ A → “Responses” = countable, tone = negative → few

  3. ✅ B → “Money” = uncountable, tone = positive → a little

  4. ✅ C → “Chairs” = countable, tone = positive → a few

🔁 Final Coaching

This trap is not just about grammar — it’s about logic and tone.

  • ✅ Few / Little = not enough

  • ✅ A Few / A Little = some — maybe enough

Look at the noun. Then ask:
“Is the sentence saying 'almost nothing' or 'some'?”

That one detail will get you the point.

🧠 Hidden SEO FAQ – Few / A Few / Little / A Little What is the difference between few and a few? Few means almost none (negative). A few means some (positive). What is the difference between little and a little? Little means almost none. A little means there is some. The meaning changes with “a”. When should I use few instead of a few? Use few when the meaning is negative — almost zero. Use a few when you mean “some.” When do I use little vs a little? Use little when the message is “not much.” Use a little when you mean “some amount.” Is a few used with countable or uncountable nouns? A few is used with countable nouns. Is little used with countable nouns? No. Use little with uncountable nouns. Can I use “few” with money? No. “Money” is uncountable. Use “little” or “a little” with money. What’s the TOEIC trick for few vs little? Few/a few = countable. Little/a little = uncountable. Is “few people” correct? Yes. “People” is countable, so “few people” is correct. Is “a few people” positive or negative? Positive. It means “some people” — enough. Is “few people” negative? Yes. It means “almost no one” — not enough. Is “a little time” correct? Yes. “Time” is uncountable and the tone is positive. Can I say “a few money”? No. “Money” is uncountable. Say “a little money.” What does “little experience” mean? It means almost no experience — a negative meaning. What does “a little experience” mean? It means some experience — a small amount, but positive. What’s a simple rule for these words? Countable nouns → few / a few Uncountable nouns → little / a little Does TOEIC test this difference? Yes. It’s a very common trap in grammar questions. Why does “a” change the meaning? Because “a few” and “a little” suggest some — not zero. Without “a”, the meaning is more negative. How can I practice this for TOEIC? Look at the noun and the tone. Ask: “Is this countable?” and “Is this positive or negative?” What’s the fastest way to decide in the test? Check the noun type (countable/uncountable), then check the sentence tone (some vs almost none).