When to use ‘how much’ in English? When to use ‘how many’?

The English expressions ‘how much’ and ‘how many’ can be confusing at first. But it is easy to use these expressions correctly when you know the English grammar rules. Read on to find out when and how to use these expressions in English conversation. We also share common errors to look out for.  

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When to use ‘how much’ V ‘how many’?  

We use how much and how many to talk about the quantity of things, either in precise or general terms:  

Rules for using ‘how much’ vs ‘how many’?  

We choose how much or how many, depending on whether the noun being discussed is countable or uncountable.  

With countable nouns we use how many: 

With uncountable nouns we use how much:  

We can form yes/no questions with much and many, but without how:  

In negative statements we don’t use how either: 

Exceptions and variations 

We can use the question “How much is this?” to ask about the cost of something. We don’t need to mention money or currency in the question. For example: 

We can also use how much and how many in affirmative and negative sentences, not just questions: 

Common errors using much or many 

Countable things vs uncountable things 

The most common error with these forms is confusing uncountable things for countable. For example, In English you can count cars, buses or taxis – but the word traffic is uncountable. Like an ocean, it has no end. In English, you can count currencies like Yen, dollars, or pounds. But the word money is uncountable.   

If you are not sure if a noun is countable or uncountable, try counting in your head. For example; “1 money, 2 monies, 3 monies...” If it sounds wrong, it’s uncountable. If you are still unsure you can check an online dictionary.  

Much/many vs lots of 

Although we can use how much/many in affirmative phrases, we often don’t use much or many. Instead, it is very common to use a lot of or lots of: 

A lot of and lots of can both be used with countable and uncountable nouns. There is no real difference between them. But lots of is considered slightly more informal. 

Famous examples of much / many 

A famous traditional song in English asks: 

How much is that doggie in the window? 

The one with the waggly tail 

How much is that doggie in the window? 

I do hope that doggie’s for sale! 

In his song Blowin’in the Wind, Bob Dylan asks: 

How many roads must a man walk down  

Before you call him a man?  

How many seas must a white dove sail  

Before she sleeps in the sand? 

Mini quiz  

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