much/many
mʌtʃ / ˈmeni
Counted on your fingers, or read off a gauge
The picture Things sitting apart, so your finger can tap them one at a time, take many; one connected mass you have to hold against a gauge takes much. MANY is tapped and counted; MUCH is held against a gauge.
Where the picture shows up in much/many
-
tapping heads one by one
How many people are coming tonight?
haʊ ˈmeni ˈpiːpl ɑː ˈkʌmɪŋ təˈnaɪt
How many people are coming tonight?
A pencil tip going down the booking list, touching each name in turn
Things counted one by one — people, forms, chairs — take many.
-
a price as one amount
How much does the delivery cost?
haʊ mʌtʃ dʌz ðə dɪˈlɪvəri kɒst
How much does the delivery cost?
One figure glowing on the till display with a finger pointing at it
Money and cost come as an uncountable mass, so they take how much.
-
measuring what space is left
There isn't much room left in the van.
ðeər ˈɪznt mʌtʃ ruːm left ɪn ðə væn
There isn't much room left in the van.
A hand pushed in between the boxes, spanning the gap that is left
Poured or filled things — room, space, time, water — take much.
-
too many separate sheets
There are too many forms to fill out.
ðeər ɑː tuː ˈmeni fɔːmz tə fɪl aʊt
There are too many forms to fill out.
Sheets added one at a time at the counter until they stand in a tower
If you can count them one, two, three, it is many.
-
measuring how much you feel
Thank you so much for your help.
θæŋk juː səʊ mʌtʃ fɔː jɔː help
Thank you so much for your help.
Both hands closing around the other person's hand and a deep bow of the head
Degree takes much: thank you so much, I miss you so much.
All of it in one picture
Tonight's guests are heads tapped one at a time, so many; the delivery charge is a single amount read off a gauge, so much. Space left in the van is a mass too — much room — while the forms to fill are sheets, so many forms. The last one moves the gauge somewhere else: so much measures the size of your gratitude.