how much

Meaning

This phrase is primarily used in two ways: to ask about the price of an item or to ask about the quantity of an uncountable noun (like water, time, or money). It is essential for shopping, dining out, and daily planning.

Examples

• Excuse me, how much is this blue shirt?

  Excuse me, how much is this blue shirt?

• How much sugar do you want in your coffee?

  How much sugar do you want in your coffee?

• I don't know how much time we have left before the train leaves.

  I don't know how much time we have left before the train leaves.

• How much does it cost to rent a car for the weekend?

  How much does it cost to rent a car for the weekend?

• Can you tell me how much money I owe you?

  Can you tell me how much money I owe you?

Common Mistakes

• ✗ How much apples did you buy?

  ✓ How many apples did you buy?

  Use 'how many' for countable nouns (like apples) and 'how much' for uncountable nouns (like fruit or money).

• ✗ How much is the cost?

  ✓ How much does it cost?

  'How much' asks for the amount directly, so combining it with 'is the cost' sounds redundant. You can also say 'What is the cost?'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• ___ is that leather jacket in the window?

  💡 Ask about the price of the jacket.

  Show answer

  How much

• ___ milk is left in the fridge?

  💡 Ask about the quantity of an uncountable liquid.

  Show answer

  How much