A Little, Little vs A Few, Few

  Understanding the diffrences between a little, little, a few and few can be daunting topic for English learners, but I have a sense that you will fee a significant improvement by the end of this explanation.
  Let's get started.

  The terms "a few", "few", "a little" and "little" are quantifying determiners.
  Simply put, they come before a noun to provide information about quantity.

a few and few

  "a few" + countable plural noun
  "few" + countable plural noun

  Both indicate a small number or quantity but there's a nuanced difference.
  "a few" conveys positive perspective on the quantity.
  if speaker wants to express dissatisfaction about the quantity then "few" is the right choice.

- Do we have lemons?
- Why?
- I'm coming over with my crew, we thought lemonade would be great.

  Notice how they carry different meanings?
  The first indicates there are enough lemons for the crew.
  The second suggests a scarcity of lemons for the crew.

a little and little

  The same principle applies to "a little" and "little". Let's explore them too.
  "a little" + uncountable noun
  "little" + uncountable noun

  These indicate a small amount but once again there is a nuance :)
  "a little" has a positive feeling, "little" has a negative feeling(not as much as desired).

  an uncountable noun is singular

- How's Jane doing?
- She's still sick.
- Did she eat anything today?

  Here, the first scenario shows a positive feeling about Jane's meal, indicating she's getting better and eating more.
  In contrast, the second scenario reflects a negative feeling, suggesting Jane hasn't eaten enough, similar to yesterday.