WHICH WORD?

manymuch

a lot of
UPDATED  NOV 2021

THE PROBLEM:

  • Confusing. 

  • Easy to understand; not easy to use correctly.

MUCH:​
  • You can't count, no numbers. 
    (non-count nouns: milk, water, money)

  • No "S" at the end of the word (usually).

MANY:
  • You can count things.

  • "S" at the end of the word. (most of the time)
    many people 

EXAMPLES:  much, many, a lot of

  1. Much of your success is due to your education.
  2. Many of the reasons you are successful is due to your education.
  3. A lot of your success is due to your education.
  1. Much of what is wrong with the World is due to religion.
  2. Many of the World's problems are because of religion.
  3. A lot of the World's problems are because of religion.
TIP:

In casual conversation, you can use "a lot or a lot of" instead of "much and many" as they work with both count and non-count nouns.
- - - - - -
However, in formal writing, you should use "much" and "many"; not "a lot of".
  • ​I have a lot of friends.
  • I have many friends.
  • ​I have a lot of money.
  • I have much money.