The English Breakfast ☕
Hi there,
Welcome back to The English Breakfast — the newsletter for Italian professionals who want to feel more confident in English at work.
This week I’m here to make your life easier. If you’ve ever been confused when trying to say tanto, molti, poco, pochi etc. in English then this is for you.
The good news is all of these words can be replaced with one simple phrase.
Fantastic phrasal verbs
Since we’ve seen a lot of phrasal verbs over the last few months. I think It’s time to do some revision.
We looked at all of the phrasal verbs in this week’s quiz a few weeks ago.
Can you remember them all? 😉
Go on, give it a try.
🗣️ Phrases Native Speakers Use Instead of A Lot
So, we know now that we can say a lot or not a lot instead of much, many, little and a few. But native speakers also use these common phrases to vary their speech.
Read the dialogue below and notice how all of the phrases in bold can be replaced with a lot.
The situation
Maya and Leo are in a meeting room preparing a product and marketing plan for a dog ice cream company called PuppyPops.
Honestly, people will buy anything these days.
Maya: Okay, Leo. We need to present our ideas to the PuppyPops team at two o'clock. What do you have so far?
Leo: Well, I spent a great deal of time thinking about this idea over the weekend. I think dog owners will love it. It’s bone-shaped ice cream treats.
Maya: Genius! What about the design for the packaging?
Leo: We have a vast array of colourful design options to show them. Everything from bright, modern tubs to simple, organic paper wrappers.
Maya: I like that. We also have a wealth of fun ideas for our social media posts. I mean, dogs and Instagram? It’s the perfect combination.
Leo: These things will sell themselves! PuppyPops wants to sell a wide range of flavours too, like peanut butter, blueberry, and even bacon.
Maya: Yeah, also bear in mind that there’s a fair amount of concern around keeping dogs cool in the summer, so there’s also the health angle to consider.
Leo: Of course, I’ll add it to the PowerPoint.
Remember, you don’t need to use these phrases. A lot is perfectly fine. But let’s look at when and how they can be used, and check your understanding.
Phrase | Best Used For | Tone | Simple Example |
A great deal of | A lot of something you cannot count (time, money, work). | Neutral | "He spends a great deal of time studying." |
A wide range of | Many different choices or topics. | Neutral | "The store sells a wide range of fresh fruits." |
A wealth of | A lot of good or useful things (information, ideas, knowledge). | Positive | "The website has a wealth of useful tips." |
A vast array of | A large and impressive group of things to choose from. | Formal / Polite | "They offer a vast array of colours." |
A fair amount of | More than a little bit of something (uncountable). | Casual | "It takes a fair amount of practice to speak well." |
Quick Grammar Note for Readers:
Countable Nouns (things you can count like choices, features, reasons): Use range or array.
Uncountable Nouns (things you cannot count like time, work, money, information): Use deal, wealth, or amount.
📩 Reader Challenge: Test Your Knowledge!
Choose the best phrase to complete each sentence. Hit "Reply" to this email and send me your answers (1–4)!
(Hint: Pay attention to whether the noun is countable or uncountable!)
The new Italian restaurant has _________ delicious pasta dishes on the menu.
A) a great deal of
B) a wide range of
Learning a new language requires _________ patience and daily practice.
A) a fair amount of
B) a vast array of
Our library offers _________ free resources for students and teachers.
A) a wealth of
B) a fair amount of
The design team presented _________ modern colours for the new logo.
A) a great deal of
B) a vast array of
Bonus Question for Extra Points:
Write your own sentence using one of the phrases from today's email and send it back to me—I'll reply with feedback! ✍️
All right, that’s it for this week’s edition. Let me know if you enjoyed it and I’ll see you next time.
Have a great week.
All the best,
Dan
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