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A year's trash in one jar? Few vs a few, little vs a little: some or almost none

This B1 ESL lesson plan teaches few vs a few and little vs a little, with Bea Johnson, who says a whole year of her family's trash fits in one small jar.

Grammar
A few and a little for some (I have a few jars.), few and little for almost none (Few people live like this.), with very and quite.
Topic
Bea Johnson's zero-waste home and her five rules, from refuse to rot, with words such as packaging, bulk bin and wrapper.
Activities
Riley's feature to read, Darius's week of very little trash and a listener's message to hear, self-checking drills, a chat at a zero-waste store and open-box questions.

What's inside

  1. Chapter 1Warm-up: what's in your trash?

    • PictureUnlock
    • Spin the wheel and answerSpin the wheelUnlock
    • Study the words: trash and green habitsVocabularyTry it
    • Look at the pictures and chooseChoose by pictureUnlock

  2. Chapter 2Let's read: one jar, five rules

    • Look at the photo: a kitchen with very little packagingPictureUnlock
    • Read the story: a year's trash in one small jarArticleUnlock
    • Read and mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Read again and choose the correct answerQuizUnlock

  3. Chapter 3Let's listen: the Mug Bet

    • Listen to Riley and DariusListeningTry it
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Listen and choose the correct answerQuizUnlock
    • Listen to the Listener's Take: KristenListeningUnlock
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Listen and mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock

  4. Chapter 4Grammar: a few jars, very little trash

    • Study the scheme: few, a few, little, a littleGrammar schemeTry it
    • Choose the correct optionChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the table: how many or how much?Fill in the tableTry it
    • Fill in the gaps: choose from the words in bracketsFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the correct answer: which sentence is right?QuizUnlock
    • Put the words in the correct orderUnjumbleUnlock

  5. Chapter 5Let's talk: bring your own jar

    • Choose the right replies: a trip to a zero-waste storeChatTry it
    • Open a box and answer: how much, how many?Open the boxUnlock

  6. Chapter 6Homework

    • Match the words and the meaningsMatchUnlock
    • Unscramble the wordsAnagramUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps with the lesson's wordsFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Sort the words: a few … or a little …?Sort into columnsUnlock
    • Choose the correct optionChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: 🙂 means some or enough, 🙁 means almost noneFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the correct orderUnjumbleUnlock
    • Choose the correct answer: what does it mean?QuizUnlock
    • Drag the words into the gaps: Riley answers KristenDrag and dropUnlock
    • Choose the correct option: Jasper's zero-waste checklistChoose the optionUnlock

32 exercises in 6 chapters. Start a 7-day free trial to open all of them, copy any part into your own lessons, and teach the lesson live.

Vocabulary

12 words and phrases from the lesson, each with a picture and audio in edio.

+9 more with pictures and audio in the lessonMore words

  • jar
  • packaging
  • bulk bin
  • wrapper
  • rag
  • disposable
  • junk mail
  • belongings
  • habit

Grammar: few, a few, little and a little

One small word changes the meaning: a few sounds positive, few sounds negative. With a family that says a year of its trash fits in one jar, learners read a few as some and few as almost none, match each word to countable or uncountable nouns, and add very and quite.

A few or few? A little or little?

a few / a little = some, enough 🙂. few / little = not many, not much, almost none 🙁.

Some or almost none?

A few and a little mean some, often enough: I have a few jars, so I can go to the bulk bins. Without a, the meaning turns negative: not many, not much, almost none. Few stores here have bulk bins, so it's hard. We have little time. Hurry!

Is the glass half full or half empty?

a few / a little 🙂 = some, enough

  • I have a few jars, so I can go to the bulk bins.
  • We have a little time, so let's have some iced tea.
  • Good news: a few listeners sent us photos!

few / little 🙁 = almost none

  • Few stores here have bulk bins, so it's hard.
  • We have little time. Hurry!
  • Few people can fit a year's trash in one jar.

Countable or uncountable?

MeaningCountable nouns: jars, peopleUncountable nouns: trash, time
🙂 some, enoughI have a few jars.We have a little time.
🙁 not many / not much, almost noneFew people live like this.They make little trash.
a very small number or amountvery few wrappersvery little packaging
a lotquite a few jokesquite a lot of tape

Countable or uncountable?

Few and a few go with plural countable nouns (a few wrappers), little and a little with uncountable ones (a little packaging). Before a countable noun, little just means small: a little jar is a small jar, so not many jars is few jars.

Which nouns?

Use a few / few with plural countable nouns: a few jars, few people, a few wrappers. Use a little / little with uncountable nouns: a little trash, little packaging, a little time, a little water. Not: a little jars. Not: a few trash.

little = small!

Before a countable noun, little means small: a little jar = a small jar, a little house = a small house. So for “not many jars”, say few jars.

Very few, very little, quite a few

Very few and very little mean a very small number or amount: He bought nuts in bulk, so there was very little packaging. Quite a few means a lot, with countable nouns only: quite a few jokes. For uncountable nouns, say quite a lot of: quite a lot of tape.

very and quite

very few / very little = a very small number or amount: Bea's family makes very little trash. quite a few = a lot: Darius told quite a few jokes. With uncountable nouns, say quite a lot of: quite a lot of trash. (Not: quite a little.)

In the studio

  • Darius had a few problems with snack wrappers.
  • He bought nuts in bulk, so there was very little packaging.
  • Very few people in his building compost.
  • There's a little tape in his jar.
  • Few people can live like Bea Johnson.
  • Darius made very little trash, but quite a few jokes!

Everyday use and common slips

Alone, few and little can sound a bit formal, so conversation often uses not many, not much or very few. Pick the form by meaning: I have a few friends here, and they're great!, but It's a hard rule, so few people follow it.

In conversation

Few and little alone can sound a bit formal. In conversation, people often say not many / not much, or very few / very little: Not many people compost. There isn't much space.

Common mistakes

  • We used a little jars.

    We used a few jars.

    jars are countable: a few

  • They make few trash.

    They make little trash.

    trash is uncountable: little, a little

  • I have few friends here, and they're great!

    I have a few friends here, and they're great!

    some friends, a happy feeling: a few

  • It's a hard rule, so a few people follow it.

    It's a hard rule, so few people follow it.

    almost nobody: few

More lessons on this grammar: Quantifiers lessons and exercises

Try the few and a few exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

More exercises

What's in the lesson

  • 18 auto-checked exercises
  • 5 games
  • 1 article
  • 1 grammar scheme
  • 1 set of word cards
  • 2 audio clips
  • 2 pictures
  • 2 transcripts

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • say there's some, or enough, with a few and a little: I have a few jars, so I can go to the bulk bins. We have a little time.
  • say there's almost none with few and little: Few stores here have bulk bins, so it's hard. We have little time. Hurry!
  • match each word to its noun: a few wrappers, a little packaging, not a little jars or a few trash
  • make an amount smaller or bigger: Bea's family makes very little trash. Darius told quite a few jokes.

Lesson 21 opens Green living, unit 6 of English B1.1 · Stories That Travel, where a small podcast team in Kansas City tells true American stories. A2.1 lesson 12 taught a few, a little and a lot of as amounts; this lesson adds what changes when a drops out. Lesson 22 goes on to all, most, some and none of. A year of trash in one jar, and Darius's week of trying, give every amount a mood.

Students spin a wheel of questions about trash and reuse, then learn twelve words, from reuse and reduce to junk mail and belongings, with pictures and audio. They read Riley's feature on Bea Johnson's jar and five rules, then hear Darius show Riley his week of trash for the Mug Bet and Kristen, 24, from California, describe her family's new habits, both AI-voiced. The grammar chapter adds five self-checking drills to the scheme, among them a table with three amounts for eight nouns. In the speaking chapter, Mackenzie plans a trip to a zero-waste store in a chat, and open boxes ask how much and how many.

All ten homework tasks mark themselves: a word match, an anagram and a gap-fill for the words, a sort into a few or a little, a choice of quantifiers, gaps marked with a happy or sad face, word order, a quiz on meaning, Riley's answer to Kristen with words to drag in and Jasper's zero-waste checklist.

Grammar:
few / a few · little / a little · very few / very little · quite a few · countable and uncountable nouns
Topic:
zero waste · Bea Johnson · trash · green habits · bulk shopping · Mason jar · Stories That Travel

Teaching tips

  • Start with the trash can: ask what's in the kitchen trash at home today, and help students answer with amounts: a few wrappers, a little paper, very little food.
  • Before the feature, hold up a small jar and ask how much trash a family of four could fit in it in a year. Students guess, then read what Bea Johnson says and what her five rules are.
  • Draw two faces on the board, one smiling and one frowning. Read pairs such as We have a little time and We have little time; students point to the face that fits each one.
  • Turn the chat into a role-play: after Mackenzie's chat, pairs plan their own trip to a store with bulk bins and ask How much rice do you need? and Do you have any jars?

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The whole course: English B1.1 · Stories That Travel

32 lessons for adults at B1 in American English, each built around a true story. Riley, Jade and Darius make a podcast in Kansas City about true American stories, and each lesson tells one, from a seaplane airport in Alaska to the Marfa Lights of West Texas. Learners compare the present perfect with the past simple, use future forms, modals and quantifiers, and give their own opinions. The practice exercises check themselves.See the course

  1. Unit 1 Travel smart

    the present perfect vs the past simple, for and since, indirect questions, be used to and get used to

    1. Lesson 1Would you visit an airport just for fun?Present perfect vs past simple
    2. Lesson 2Would you sleep in a 300-year-old inn?For and since with the present perfect
    3. Lesson 3My suitcase has gone to Honolulu!Indirect questions for polite requests
    4. Lesson 4Can you practice a flight?Be used to and get used to

  2. Unit 2 Dream jobs, new jobs

    will have to and won't be allowed to, the present perfect continuous, simple vs continuous, would vs used to

    1. Lesson 5Would you jump off a moving boat for a job?Will have to, will be able to and will be allowed to
    2. Lesson 6Working from anywherePresent perfect continuous
    3. Lesson 7Could you be a camp counselor?Present perfect simple vs continuous
    4. Lesson 8Would you live in a lighthouse?Would vs used to for the past

  3. Unit 3 Space and discovery

    it's + adjective + to, What's it like to…?, future forms compared, future time clauses, too and enough + to

    1. Lesson 9What's it like to work in space?It's + adjective + to and What's it like to…?
    2. Lesson 10Who will walk on the Moon next?Future forms compared by meaning
    3. Lesson 11A message for the starsFuture time clauses
    4. Lesson 12A helicopter on Mars?Too and enough + to-infinitive

  4. Unit 4 Life online

    the more…, the more…, be supposed to, ought to and had better, let, make and allow

    1. Lesson 13The internet's first word was “LO”Comparative and comparative; the more…, the more…
    2. Lesson 14Who sent the first spam?Be supposed to for rules, expectations and plans
    3. Lesson 15Is your password really safe?Ought to and had better for advice and warnings
    4. Lesson 16Who writes Wikipedia?Let, make and allow + someone

  5. Unit 5 Screen and page

    -ed and -ing adjectives, gradable and extreme adjectives, present tenses for a plot, articles for things in general

    1. Lesson 17Why do readers still love Nancy Drew?-ed and -ing adjectives for feelings
    2. Lesson 18Movie night in your carGradable and extreme adjectives
    3. Lesson 19Would you review a book on TV?Present tenses to tell a plot
    4. Lesson 20Where are the books about girls like me?Articles for things in general and specific things

  6. Unit 6 Green living

    few and a few, little and a little, all, most, some and none, each and every, fewer and less

    1. Lesson 21 · you're hereA year's trash in one jar?Few, a few, little and a little
    2. Lesson 22No food in the trash!All, most, some and none (of)
    3. Lesson 23A farm in the middle of DetroitEach and every
    4. Lesson 24A trash collector with googly eyesFewer and less

  7. Unit 7 Sporting moments

    could, was able to and managed to, for, during and while, present tenses for live commentary, question tags

    1. Lesson 25From a leg brace to three goldsCould, was able to and managed to
    2. Lesson 26A doctor and an Olympic champion?For, during and while
    3. Lesson 27Who's that runner coming from behind?Present simple and continuous for live commentary
    4. Lesson 28Why do high jumpers go backward?Question tags

  8. Unit 8 Mysteries and lost worlds

    both… and, either… or and neither… nor, uncountable nouns, how sure we are about the future, unless, as long as and in case

    1. Lesson 29A calendar made of posts?Both… and, either… or, neither… nor
    2. Lesson 30What was the Great House for?Uncountable abstract nouns
    3. Lesson 31What does Newspaper Rock say?Certainty about the future
    4. Lesson 32What are the Marfa Lights?Unless, as long as and in case

Questions about this lesson

What's the difference between few and a few?
A few means some, and it sounds positive: I have a few jars, so I can go to the bulk bins. Few means not many, almost none, and it sounds negative: Few people can fit a year's trash in one jar. Both go with plural countable nouns. The B1 lesson A year's trash in one jar? on edio.ai teaches the pair with Bea Johnson's zero-waste home and a week-long bet in a podcast studio.
What's the difference between little and a little?
It's the same contrast for uncountable nouns: a little means some, enough (We have a little time, so let's have some iced tea.), while little means not much, almost none (We have little time. Hurry!). Watch the noun, too: before a countable noun, little describes size, so a little jar is a small jar.
When do you use few and when do you use little?
Let the noun decide: few and a few go with plural countable nouns (a few wrappers, few people), while little and a little go with uncountable nouns (a little packaging, little trash). So it's a few jars, not a little jars, and a little trash, not a few trash. A column sort in the homework of A year's trash in one jar? on edio.ai practices exactly this.
Is it "I have few friends" or "I have a few friends"?
If you're happy with your friends, it's I have a few friends here: some friends, enough. I have few friends means almost none, and it sounds sad. Groups work the same way: It's a hard rule, so few people follow it means almost nobody does, while a few people would mean some do. The quiz in A year's trash in one jar? on edio.ai asks which sentence fits each meaning.
What does quite a few mean?
Quite a few means a lot, not a small number: Darius told quite a few jokes. There are quite a few good thrift stores in my city. It goes only with plural countable nouns; for uncountable nouns, say quite a lot of: quite a lot of tape, never quite a little. Its opposite is very few: He's won very few Mug Bets.
What are the five R's of zero waste?
In Bea Johnson's method, the five rules are refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot, in that order. Refuse means saying no to things you don't need, such as free pens and junk mail; reduce, letting go of what you don't use; reuse, choosing rags over paper towels; recycle, only what's left; and rot, composting. She says her family's trash for a whole year fits in one small jar, and her book Zero Waste Home came out in 2013.
How do I teach few and a few to B1 students?
Teach the feeling before the form: say a sentence with a smile or a frown, and let students hear that a few is positive and few is negative. Then sort nouns into countable and uncountable. A year's trash in one jar? on edio.ai moves from Riley's feature on Bea Johnson to Darius's week of very little trash, then to a scheme that asks if the glass is half full or half empty.
What's a good game for practicing few and a few?
Open the box and answer with an amount: prompts such as What do you have very little of this week: time, money or sleep? or Look in your bag or backpack. Name a few things you could reuse. make students choose the right word. The edio.ai lesson A year's trash in one jar? ends its speaking chapter with these boxes, and one of them asks who won the Mug Bet.
What's good homework for few and a few?
Good homework tests the meaning as well as the noun: gaps marked with a happy or a sad face, a quiz such as “There's little rice left.” What does it mean?, and a sort into a few or a little. In A year's trash in one jar? on edio.ai, all ten homework tasks check themselves, ending with Jasper's zero-waste checklist.
How do you practice few and a few one-to-one?
Compare two weeks of trash: the teacher and the student each describe what they threw away, then say what could change: I used a few plastic bags, but I threw away very little food. The chat in A year's trash in one jar? on edio.ai is done alone: Mackenzie plans a trip to a zero-waste store, and the student picks replies such as Just a little, please.
Are there interactive exercises for few and a few?
Yes: a table and a chat that mark answers at once. This page plays three parts of the B1 lesson A year's trash in one jar? on edio.ai without an account: Riley and Darius's Mug Bet dialogue, a table of how many and how much, and Mackenzie's chat about a trip to a zero-waste store. The rest of the lesson is locked.
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