teaching "a lot", "little", "a little", "very little"

[kitty yee]

Would anyone please tell me how to teach quantifiers like "a lot", "little", "just enough", "very little", "too little" and so on.

[Tdol]

Who are you teaching? What age are they? etc

[saleemabu]

dear,
TO me I prefer teaching these quantifier adverbs through context using
quantities and give percentage to each.
Please, biginning with " much" then move downward to the "only little".
as much sugar
a lot of sugar
some sugar
little sugar
a little sugar left
very little
only little
You can use real objects in the class according your students' level and
age as well. with best wishes.

[JCrawf]

Another way to illustrate varying degrees is to draw a large thermometer on the board with lines indicating zero degrees, 10 degrees, 20 degrees, and so on. Then enter the words in positions relative to their "warmth", or strength.
Thus "very little" would correspond, perhaps, with the ten degree level and "a lot" would top out at 50 degrees. There's room going up the thermometer for "a large amount," "a great amount," "a huge amount," "an enormous amount," etc.
I've forgotten where this idea came from, but it has worked well for me.

[BobK]

Depending on the age of the Ss, I'd use the thermometer idea but get a bit of interaction going by having the words/phrase on separate cards with a bit of Blu-tak on each. Then invite individual Ss up to the board, give them a card, and invite them to stick it at the appropriate place. If wrong, ask for advice from other Ss. (Or just live with mistakes, and wait for subsequent cards to shunt wrong cards into a better position.)

b