What the as … as pattern means with much and many
To say that two things or two people have an equal quantity, we place a quantity word inside a frame: as + much/many + noun + as. The first as opens the equality comparison; the second introduces what we are comparing with.
The full pattern contains two instances of as. Between them comes a quantity word, sometimes with a noun; after the second as comes the comparison target or a subordinate clause. When the second part is understood, it can be omitted: I have just as many means 'I have the same number'.
as + much/many (+ noun) + as + comparison target
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
The cafe sells as many cakes as pies.
The cafe sells as many cakes as pies.
Cakes and pies are countable, so use many; the second as introduces the second quantity.
My grandmother drinks as much tea as my grandfather.
My grandmother drinks as much tea as my grandfather.
Tea as a drink is uncountable, so use much.
Neither of us has as many photos as we thought.
Neither of us has as many photos as we thought.
A subordinate clause (as we thought) can also follow the second as.
Countable or uncountable noun: which to choose
The choice between much and many depends on the noun's meaning in this particular sentence. Separate countable units in the plural take many; a substance, mass or uncountable concept takes much. Compare much chicken — the meat — and many chickens — the birds.
Focus on the English noun rather than relying on a general sense of quantity. Check whether you can count it using one … and two …s in the intended meaning. If not, use much.
Many with a countable noun requires the plural: as many bikes as, not as many bike as.
as many + plural countable noun + as | as much + uncountable noun + as
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
There are as many bikes as cars on this street.
There are as many bikes as cars on this street.
Bikes and cars are plural countable nouns.
We have as much rice as we need for a week.
We have as much rice as we need for a week.
Rice is a mass noun; it is not counted as individual items.
She gave me as much information as she could.
She gave me as much information as she could.
Information is uncountable even when a large quantity is meant.
Much without a noun: comparing an activity
When comparing the extent or frequency of an activity itself, use as much: travels as much means 'does an equal amount of travelling'. However, many can also stand without an explicit noun if that noun has already been mentioned: You bought three books; I bought as many means that I bought the same number of books.
This compares frequency, amount or effort: who travels, works, eats or reads more. The structure remains the same, except that the quantity expression comes directly after the verb.
subject + verb + as much + as + comparison target
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
My cousin travels as much as a pilot.
My cousin travels as much as a pilot.
There is no noun after travels, so use much.
He doesn't talk as much as his twin.
He doesn't talk as much as his twin.
Negation comes before the pattern without a noun.
Do you cook as much as you used to?
Do you cook as much as you used to?
The pattern works in questions too.
Negation, multipliers and the second as
The affirmative pattern says that quantities are equal. Negation before it (not as much/many as) changes the meaning: the person or thing being discussed has a smaller quantity. Ben doesn't earn as much as Tom therefore means that Tom earns more.
Put multipliers and fractions before the first as: twice as many, three times as much, half as many. For an unambiguous ratio of two to one, choose twice as much/many. Twice more can be ambiguous, so it is less suitable for expressing an exact ratio.
The second word in the frame is always as. A sentence with than after as many/much is therefore incorrect: the comparative (more, fewer) and the equality frame are different patterns.
twice/half + as + much/many + (noun) + as
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
This room doesn't get as much light as the kitchen.
This room doesn't get as much light as the kitchen.
Light is uncountable; negation shows that there is less light here.
Our garden has half as many trees as theirs.
Our garden has half as many trees as theirs.
Half comes before the first as; trees are countable.
The new phone costs three times as much as my old one.
The new phone costs three times as much as my old one.
There is no noun after costs, so use much.
As many as before a number and as … as possible
When as many as comes directly before a number, it does not compare two groups but emphasises the size of the quantity: 'a full 80', 'as many as 300'. This is emphasis only: there is no second comparison target.
Another established phrase is as many/much … as possible or as … as you can. It means 'the greatest possible quantity' and follows the same pattern: the quantity word matches the noun, and the second as leads into possible or a subordinate clause.
as many as + number + noun | as much/many + (noun) + as possible/you can
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
As many as 80 students applied for the scholarship.
As many as 80 students applied for the scholarship.
The number after as many as is presented as a large quantity.
Save as much space as you can in your suitcase.
Save as much space as you can in your suitcase.
Space in the sense of available room is uncountable; as you can expresses the greatest possible extent.
Please invite as many neighbours as possible.
Please invite as many neighbours as possible.
Neighbours are countable, so use many.
The corresponding as few/as little patterns
Few and little work on the same principle as many and much, but express a small quantity. Use as few … as with plural countable nouns and as little … as with uncountable nouns.
This pair is useful for saying that a quantity is equally small: Our street has as few trees as our neighbourhood, or There was as little noise as yesterday.
as few + plural countable noun + as | as little + uncountable noun + as
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
There were as few visitors as last month.
There were as few visitors as last month.
Visitors are countable, so use few.
There is as little milk in the fridge as yesterday.
There is as little milk in the fridge as yesterday.
Milk is uncountable, so use little.
Nouns with two uses and the limits of this lesson
Some words can be countable or uncountable depending on their meaning. Chicken as meat is a mass noun (as much chicken as), whereas chickens as birds are countable (as many chickens as). Time as duration takes as much time as; times meaning occasions takes as many times as.
Before choosing a quantity word, ask exactly what you are comparing: material or separate objects.
Scope: here we study only quantity patterns. Comparing a quality or manner (as tall as, as quickly as) belongs to the lesson on as + adjective/adverb + as. Paired constructions such as the more … the more are a separate rule.
There is as much chicken on this plate as on that one.
There is as much chicken on this plate as on that one.
Chicken as meat is a mass noun.
We have as many chickens as the farm next door.
We have as many chickens as the farm next door.
Chickens as birds are countable.
I've been to that museum as many times as you have.
I've been to that museum as many times as you have.
Times meaning occasions is countable.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:He has as much hobbies as his sister.
Correct:He has as many hobbies as his sister.
Hobbies is a plural countable noun, so it takes many, not much.
Incorrect:We didn't buy as many bread as last week.
Correct:We didn't buy as much bread as last week.
In this sentence, bread means bread as a food and is uncountable, so use much. Breads is possible in another meaning: types of bread.
Incorrect:He doesn't travel as much than his boss.
Correct:He doesn't travel as much as his boss.
The equality frame is closed with a second as; than belongs to a comparative construction.
Incorrect:Over the weekend, as much as 500 fans came to the match.
Correct:Over the weekend, as many as 500 fans came to the match.
Fans are countable, so as many as comes before the number; as much as before a number is used for uncountable quantities, such as money.
Incorrect:I have as few free time as you.
Correct:I have as little free time as you.
Free time is uncountable, so a small quantity is expressed with little, not few.