Tuongvan  +  600883 Mon, 01 Dec 08 09:09 AM Dear teachers, Could you possibly help me understand the structure"HOW MANY+N" in the following?: It is surprising how many people suffer difficult situations in silence and make no efforts to rectify them. I find it surprising how many people have told me they wouldn't dare do this. It is surprising how many people thinking that they are using computer in their own home who feel that they are safe from any harm behind the walls.. Can we use "How much " as well ? If we can, please give me one or two examples. Thank you in advance    Tuongvan Joined on Sun, Dec 30 2007 Regular Member 975 van

	Mister Micawber  +  600888 Mon, 01 Dec 08 09:20 AM . What part do you not understand? It is surprising how many people suffer! It is shocking how much gasoline costs! It is amazing who you can meet in a convenience store! Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,822 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

	Tuongvan  +  600931 Mon, 01 Dec 08 10:13 AM I don't understand the meaning of "how many+ noun"  here. " how many people " in " It is surprising how many people suffer!"  seems to me different from" how many people" in " how many people have arrived ?- Twenty."  Tuongvan Nouns

	Mister Micawber  +  600947 Mon, 01 Dec 08 10:35 AM . Ah, I see what you mean.  I read it the other way-- the sentence is very ambiguous. By the way, now that I look more closely, I cannot make sense out of your 3rd sentence with either interpretation. Perhaps you mean this?-- It is surprising how many people who are using a computer in their own home feel that they are safe from any harm behind the walls. I'll have to think anew about your original question. . Mister Micawber

	CalifJim  +  601390 Mon, 01 Dec 08 06:59 PM  It is surprising how many people suffer ... . = The large number of people who suffer ... is surprising. = A surprisingly large number of people suffer ... = So many people suffer ... that it is surprising. ____ The same applies to how much.  It is surprising how much money is required to meet expenses these days. = The great amount of money that is required ... is surprising. = A surprisingly great amount of money is required ... = So much money is required ... that it is surprising. ____ And in fact the same applies to how in general with any adjective or adverb. It is surprising how vindictive people can be. = People can be surprisingly vindictive. = People can be so vindictive that it is surprising.  It is surprising how carefully you have to move when balancing a basket on your head. = You have to move surprisingly carefully when ...  = You have to move so carefully when ... that it is surprising. ___ And you can substitute other words for surprising. It is amazing how ... It is astonishing how ... It is embarrassing how ... It is disgusting how ... It is laughable how ... It is worrisome how ... CJ    CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,449 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Adverbs