read · 2 min
The choice depends on whether the noun is countable or uncountable.
many + countable plurals
many books · many people · How many cups?
much + uncountable
much time · much water · How much money?
a lot of + both
✓ a lot of books · a lot of water — safe in positives.
tip
“Much” sounds formal in positives. Prefer a lot of in everyday speech: “I have a lot of work”, not “much work”.