A LOT | MUCH (subject pronouns)

In the English Grammar Profile, C2 point 110 in the category of PRONOUNS/quantity is defined:

‘A LOT’ AND ‘MUCH’ as subject pronouns for focus

In the English Vocabulary Profile (EVP), ‘much’ or ‘much OF-phrase’ in the subject position is listed at C1.  For example:

Much of their stored carbon makes its way back to the atmosphere.

TED

The EVP has other C1 entries for ‘much of phrases’:

It‘s okay, 

I am not much of a dancer myself.

Harvest Love


A search in iWeb corpus for:

. A lot _V

1 . A LOT HAS 2043

A lot has happened since that time.

PELIC STUDENT: female level 4 grammar class

2 . A LOT DEPENDS 935

A lot depends on how you answer.

listen

3 . A LOT CAN 852
4 . A LOT IS 572
5 . A LOT WILL 401
6 . A LOT WAS 201
7 . A LOT GOES 172
8 . A LOT ARE 161
9 . A LOT HAVE 97
10 . A LOT COULD 94


. Much _V

1 . MUCH HAS 2489

2 . MUCH APPRECIATED 2187

3 . MUCH LIKE 1310

4 . MUCH IS 1023
5 . MUCH LOVE 752
6 . MUCH DEPENDS 750
7 . MUCH WAS 514
8 . MUCH WILL 479
9 . MUCH CAN 413

10 . MUCH LOVED 317


We also noticed common premodifiers:

That much has always been clear to those of us who have studied wandlore.

listen

1 . THAT MUCH IS 881
2 . SO MUCH HAS 818

So much has been happening.

listen

3 . SO MUCH IS 662
4 . TOO MUCH IS 402

And if too much is taken?

listen

5 . TOO MUCH CAN 228
6 . THAT MUCH WAS 203
7 . SO MUCH DEPENDS 194
8 . SO MUCH WAS 192
9 . SO MUCH CAN 191
10 . TOO MUCH WILL 118


EXAMPLES:

Since that time, a lot has happened.

TED

 

Much has been said of the Latino vote this election.

TED