There are so many alternatives to the word 'many.' A lot of Japanese people fall into the trap of overusing this word, resulting in their English sounding unnatural and lacking in variety.
This lesson will show you 10 different expressions you can use to give your English a boost and to start sounding like a native speaker today!
① Heaps of
A heap is like a small mountain of things. Australian people in particular love this one.
We can say a heap of or heaps of.
- There are heaps of things to do in Tokyo.
- He’s got heaps and heaps of friends because he’s so outgoing.
- He broke the law and got into a heap of trouble. He should have been more careful.
② Loads of
A load is of course a large amount of things,
You can says a load of or loads of for this one - it’s not so important.
- I drank a load of beers and had a hangover the next day.
- He has a load of homework to do this weekend.
⚠️ We can also use shitloads which is a slang expression.
- I lost a shitload of money on the stock market
And how about the word bucketload or boatload?
- We received bucketloads of complaints about the new product.
- My friend turned up at my door with a boatload of snacks and a bottle of wine.
③ A bunch of
We often say a bunch of bananas or a bunch of grapes. When we talk about things
it’s most often used as just a bunch of and not usually bunches of.
So we wouldn’t say
- I have bunches of stuff to do today. ❌
It’s more common to say
- I have a bunch of stuff to do today. ⭕️
- There are a bunch of people lined up in front of that cake shop. Must be good.
- My brother bought a bunch of books at Kinokuniya.
- After my friend moved away, I missed him a whole bunch.
④ Gazillions
In English we have a set of expressions using numbers.
They are not real numbers, but they are all based on million and billion.
Gazillion
Jillion
Zillion
Squillion
Kazillion
Bazillion
These numbers are absolute NONSENSE! But people really say these words.
- JK Rowling has sold like a squillion copies of Harry Potter.
- She checks Twitter about a gazillion times a day.
- There must have been a jillion people on my train this morning.
⑤ Masses of
So this was originally just about people, but it can also be used for things too.
- There were masses of people at the concert.
- I saw masses of dark clouds in the sky before the storm.
- He has masses of comic books in his apartment.
⑥ Oodles of
This is a funny one. I don’t think has any particular meaning, but it rhymes with noodles.
- He has absolutely oodles of money.
- Tom Cruise might be getting on in years, but he still has oodles of appeal.
- My smartphone had oodles of features that I never use.
⑦ A slew of
I don’t know why but I like the way this word sounds. A slew!
- We came up against a whole slew of problems when we were starting our business.
- A slew of journalists camped outside Princess Diana’s hotel.
- There are a slew of cheap motels on this road.
⑧ A myriad of
Myriad comes from the Greek word for “10,000.” It’s used to mean a large amount in modern English.
- There are a myriad of mosquitoes down by the lake.
- The hotel breakfast buffet offers a myriad of choices.
- The new phones are available in a myriad of colors.
⑨ Umpteen
Again this is a funny word based on a teen number. It means there are so many that we can’t count. Use it just like a number!
- I’ve been to Tokyo Disneyland umpteen times.
- Why did you buy another pair of sneakers? You already have umpteen pairs!
- I’ve told you umpteen times! Do your homework!!
⑩ A stack of
You can say a stack of or stacks of.
- Don’t worry, we’ve got stacks of time.
- He got stacks of Valentines chocolates. He’s so popular.
- I’ve got a stack of things to do before I finish work.
Conclusion
Using the word 'many' over and over again doesn't help you improve your English skills. The next time you use English, try and use one of the expressions from above. Variety is the spice of life! Please watch the VIDEO LESSON on YouTube!
Thanks for reading!
outgoing | 社交的な |
break the law | 法律違反をする |
a hangover | 二日酔い |
turn up | 偶然に現れる |
get on in years | 年を取る |
come up against | 【困難・問題・反対など】に出くわす |