Unit 5 · Health & Wellbeing · Lesson 25
Move More
Learn precise B2 quantifiers — plenty of, hardly any, a fair bit of, next to no — so you can describe food, exercise and energy accurately. You'll move beyond 'a lot' and 'a little' and sound like a fluent speaker.
Warm-up · §1
5 minGet talking
When in the day is your energy highest? Lowest?
Do you exercise for how you look, how you feel, or something else?
Describe the healthiest meal you eat regularly — in 3 sentences.
Grammar focus · §2
8–10 minQuantifiers — beyond 'a lot' and 'a little'
Quick rule
Countable: plenty of (+plural), the odd, few, a couple of. Uncountable: plenty of, hardly any, next to no, a fair bit of. 'Plenty of' works with both.
Pattern builder
Large amount
plenty of / a fair amount of / loads of + noun
e.g. plenty of vegetables
Small amount
a bit of / a fair bit of + uncountable
e.g. a fair bit of walking
Almost none
hardly any / next to no / barely any
e.g. hardly any water
Occasional (countable)
the odd + singular noun
e.g. the odd biscuit
Excess
far too much / far too many
e.g. far too much sugar
Deficit
nowhere near enough
e.g. nowhere near enough sleep
Compare
| B1 | B2 upgrade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| a lot of vegetables | plenty of vegetables / loads of vegetables | 'Plenty of' = enough and more. |
| not much water | hardly any water / next to no water | 'Next to no' = almost zero. |
| some exercise | a fair bit of exercise / a decent amount of exercise | 'A fair bit' feels natural and adult. |
| too much sugar | far too much sugar | 'Far too much' adds emphasis. |
Examples
- →
I get plenty of protein but hardly any vegetables.
- →
I do a fair bit of walking, but nowhere near enough proper exercise.
- →
I drink next to no water during the day.
- →
I have the odd biscuit — not every day.
- →
There's far too much sugar in that.
- →
I've got a decent amount of energy today, actually.
Common mistakes
I drink hardly any of water.
✓ I drink hardly any water.
'Hardly any' + noun directly — no 'of'.
I eat plenty vegetables.
✓ I eat plenty OF vegetables.
'Plenty' needs 'of' before a noun.
I do a fair bit of exercises.
✓ I do a fair bit of exercise.
'Exercise' is uncountable when it means physical activity.
Natural English
'The odd + noun' means occasional. 'I have the odd glass of wine' = maybe once or twice a week, no big deal.
Deep dive (full explanation)
B1 uses 'a lot', 'a little', 'some', 'not much'. B2 speakers have a wider set: 'plenty of', 'a fair amount of', 'hardly any', 'next to no', 'barely any', 'a fair bit of', 'the odd', 'a decent amount of', 'far too much', 'nowhere near enough'. Match them to countable/uncountable nouns and you sound instantly more precise.
Question 1.Correct:
Question 2.'I drink ___ water — I forget all day.'
Question 3.'I get ___ enough sleep.'
Question 4.'I have ___ biscuit — not often.'
Question 5.'There's ___ too much sugar in that.'
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Quick check 1.Correct:
Quick check 2.'I drink ___ water — I forget all day.'
Vocabulary · §3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
to break a sweat
to start sweating from exercise.
to be knackered
to be very tired (informal, BrE).
to work up an appetite
to become hungry from activity.
a balanced diet
eating a healthy variety of foods.
energy levels
how much energy you have.
to be on your feet
to be standing or moving all day.
steps in
walking measured by a step counter.
wholefoods
unprocessed, natural foods.
to cut out
to remove something from your diet completely.
to fuel yourself
to eat/drink for energy.
Activate it now
Talk about YOUR real week.
- Make it yours#1
Roughly how many steps do you get on a typical day? Use 'plenty of' or 'nowhere near enough'.
steps inenergy levels - Complete#2
Finish: 'When my energy levels crash, I usually ___ .'
energy levelsto fuel yourself - Your view#3
Is cutting out a food group ever a good idea? Why or why not?
to cut outa balanced diet - Rank#4
Rank most energising → least: a walk outside, coffee, a nap, cold water.
energy levels - Discuss#5
What's the last activity that properly made you break a sweat?
to break a sweatto work up an appetite
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · §4
3–4 minStress on quantifier phrases
Multi-word quantifiers have ONE main stress. 'PLENty of', 'HARDly ANy', 'NOwhere near eNOUGH', 'FAR too MUCH'. If you stress every syllable equally, it sounds like a list, not a phrase.
- I get PLENty of PROtein.
- I drink HARDly ANy WATer.
- NOwhere near eNOUGH SLEEP.
- FAR too MUCH SUgar.
Reading · §5
8–10 minThe Boring Truth About Getting Healthier
Listen to the passage
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Every year, thousands of new diets and workout plans promise a transformation. Every year, most of them are abandoned by February. And every year, the people who actually get healthier tend to do the same, deeply boring things. They move a fair bit — not spectacularly. They aim for plenty of steps, but they don't obsess. They break a sweat two or three times a week, doing something they can actually stand. They eat plenty of wholefoods and don't cut out entire food groups. They allow themselves the odd biscuit, the odd glass of wine, the odd late night — and they don't call it failure. They drink far more water than they think they need, because most of us drink nowhere near enough. They sleep. Not perfectly, but enough. The people who look after their energy levels usually get seven or eight hours, most nights, without a phone in the room. And they don't chase a version of themselves who wakes up transformed. They fuel themselves like an adult, move enough to keep the body happy, and let the results arrive slowly. That's the boring truth. It also happens to be the one that works.
Question 1.What happens to most new diet/workout plans by February?
Question 2.What do successful people do with 'the odd biscuit'?
Question 3.What does the writer say most people drink?
Question 4.How much sleep do those people usually get?
Q1.The successful people cut out entire food groups.
Q2.They break a sweat two or three times a week.
Q3.They chase a version of themselves who wakes up transformed.
Listening · §6
8–10 minTwo friends catching up on their fitness week (about 1:30)
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Anya:How's your week been, movement-wise?
Jules:Honestly? A fair bit better than last week. I got plenty of steps in — around ten thousand most days.
Anya:Anything proper, or just walking?
Jules:Two swims and one run. I actually broke a sweat, which felt good. You?
Anya:Nowhere near enough. I've been at my desk. I've had the odd walk at lunch, but that's it.
Jules:Food?
Anya:Far too much coffee. Hardly any water. I know, I know.
Jules:What's your energy like?
Anya:Knackered by three every afternoon. Not sustainable.
Jules:Small change first — bottle of water on the desk before the coffee. That fixed me last month.
Anya:Okay. One thing at a time. I'll start tomorrow.
Question 1.How many steps did Jules get most days?
Question 2.What did Jules do besides walking?
Question 3.Anya's water intake?
Question 4.What small change does Jules suggest?
Exam skills · §7
5 minStrategy focus — Quantifier range in Speaking Part 1
Task
Part 1 often asks about food, sport, or daily routine. Learners who only use 'a lot' and 'a little' cap themselves at B1.
Strategy
In a 30-second answer, use TWO different quantifier phrases and ONE intensifier: 'plenty of / hardly any / the odd / a fair bit of + far too much / nowhere near enough.' Rotate them across turns.
Example
I get plenty of steps because I walk to work, but nowhere near enough proper exercise. I eat a fair bit of homemade food and hardly any takeaways, but I drink far too much coffee. The odd biscuit at three o'clock is my weakness.
Practice · §8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.I get ___ of protein but hardly any vegetables.
Question 2.I drink ___ any water during the day.
Question 3.I get ___ near enough sleep.
Question 4.I have ___ odd biscuit — not every day.
Question 5.There's ___ too much sugar in that.
Question 6.I do a fair ___ of walking each week.
Q1.'I get plenty ___ steps most days.'
Q2.'I get ___ any exercise.' (almost none)
Q3.'I get ___ near enough sleep.'
Writing · §9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 130–170 word 'Health Check-In' post about your real week (food, movement, sleep, energy). Use at least FIVE different quantifier phrases from this lesson.
Your answer
Show model answer
Health Check-In: This Week Honestly, a mixed week. Movement-wise, I got plenty of steps in — about ten thousand most days — but nowhere near enough proper exercise. I broke a sweat twice: one swim, one run. That's it. Food was a fair bit better than usual. Plenty of wholefoods, the odd takeaway on Friday, hardly any late-night snacking. I still drink far too much coffee — three or four cups most days — and next to no water, which is the change I need to make next week. Sleep was the weak spot. Six hours most nights, which is nowhere near enough for me. I could feel it by mid-afternoon; I was knackered by three most days. Energy overall: better than last month, worse than I'd like. Next week I'll swap two coffees for water and try to be in bed by eleven. Small changes only. That's what actually sticks.
Speaking · §10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
ROLEPLAY — The Weekly Check-In. Your partner (or teacher) asks: 'How has this week been for food, movement and sleep?' Answer in 60–90 seconds using at least FOUR quantifier phrases from this lesson. Then swap.
Useful phrases
- • I got plenty of steps in…
- • Hardly any water, honestly…
- • I broke a sweat about ___ times…
- • Nowhere near enough sleep…
- • The odd takeaway, but nothing too bad…
- • Far too much coffee.
- • A fair bit of walking, at least.
- FriendHow's your week been, movement-wise?
- You_______________
- FriendWhat about food and water?
- You_______________
- FriendHow's your energy?
- You_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Optional teacher-led activities. ~23 min total
Homework · §11
Take-homeTake it home
Write the 150-word 'Health Check-In' post above about your real week.
Record a 90-second voice note describing your week using at least four different quantifier phrases.
Write true sentences using: break a sweat, knackered, work up an appetite, balanced diet, energy levels, wholefoods, cut out, fuel yourself.
Watch a 3-minute fitness or nutrition clip. Note two quantifier phrases you hear.
Recap · §12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- You can use precise quantifier phrases (plenty of, hardly any, the odd, a fair bit of, nowhere near enough, far too much).
- You can describe food, movement, sleep and energy without repeating 'a lot' and 'a little'.
- You can talk about your real week honestly at B2 level.
- You have completed Unit 5 — you're ready for Review Lab 5 (Wellbeing Clinic).