Hardly any

Hardly any means almost no or almost none.

For example:

• I spent so much on shopping this week, I have hardly any money left!
• My meal was bland. There was hardly any salt.
• I have to do the groceries. There is hardly any food in the fridge.

Not much vs. Not many

Not much is used when speaking about singular noun, whereas not many is used for plural nouns.

Examples:

• Not much money was invested in the company.
• Not many people are millionaires.

Not much

There’s not much work to do today. We can leave early.

Not many

There are not many drink options in the menu.

Let’s watch the role play!

It’s your turn!

• What was the client’s feedback? Write your answer using “hardly any”, “not much” and “not many”.

Worksheet