Complete the following sentence by using the correct Determiner from the options given below :
I ran back _______ yards to where the figure had disappeared.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → a few
Complete sentence: I ran back a few yards to where the figure had disappeared. The speaker ran back a small distance, some yards, so "I ran back a few yards".
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) a few (answer) | "A few" and "few": both go with plural countable nouns (yards, books, people). A few = a small number, some (positive sense). | She stopped a few metres from the gate. |
| (2) few | Few = hardly any, not enough (negative sense). "Few" has a negative sense, "hardly any". "I ran back few yards" does not describe a short run. | Few people came to the meeting, so it was cancelled. |
| (3) the some | Two determiners such as "the" and "some" cannot be used together. | – |
| (4) much | "Much" goes only with uncountable nouns (much water, much time). "Yards" is a plural countable noun. | There isn't much milk left. |