🧠 TOEIC Trap: Few / A Few / Little / A Little — The “A” That Changes Everything

You read:

We have ___ time left.

All four options look familiar: few, a few, little, a little.
Only one works.

TOEIC uses this because the difference is tiny in form — but huge in meaning.
Here’s how to kill the trap instantly.

🎯 Why TOEIC Wins This Point

There are two decisions:
1️⃣ Can I count it?
2️⃣ Is the meaning negative (“almost none”) or positive (“some”)?

💣 The One-Second Trigger

  • Countable noun → few / a few

  • Uncountable noun → little / a little

Then…

  • No “a” = almost none (negative)

  • With “a” = some (positive)

👇 Watch It in Action

✅ Correct

We have a few questions.
(Countable + some = positive) → a few

✅ Correct

We have few questions.
(Countable + almost none = negative) → few

✅ Correct

There is a little time left.
(Uncountable + some = positive) → a little

✅ Correct

There is little time left.
(Uncountable + almost none = negative) → little

🧪 TOEIC-Style Practice

There are ___ options left, so we need to choose quickly.
🧠 Countable + positive → a few

We have ___ time to prepare before the meeting.
🧠 Uncountable + positive → a little

There were ___ people in the audience. The room was almost empty.
🧠 Countable + negative → few

I had ___ energy left after the presentation.
🧠 Uncountable + negative → little

📝 Your Turn

Fill each blank with few, a few, little, or a little.
Use the two-step check: countable vs uncountable / positive vs negative.

  1. They have ___ experience with this type of system.

  2. We got ___ responses to the survey.

  3. I had ___ money left after shopping.

  4. There are ___ chairs available in the back.

Answer Key + Coaching

  1. ✅ little — uncountable + negative

  2. ✅ few — countable + negative

  3. ✅ a little — uncountable + positive

  4. ✅ a few — countable + positive

🔁 Takeaway Rule

Don’t guess by feeling — break it in two steps:

1️⃣ Countable → few / a few
 Uncountable → little / a little
2️⃣ No “a” = almost none
 With “a” = some

One quick scan for count and tone, and you own this point.

Final Word

This isn’t a vocabulary test — it’s a logic and tone test.
Count, check the tone, and pick with precision.

For more strategies and resources to master TOEIC word-choice traps, visit the English Library Collection and start locking in vocabulary confidence today.

🧠 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).
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