Used and loved by millions

Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

MitStanfordHarvardAustralian Nationa UniversityNanyangOxford

A few document

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "A few document" is not correct in English.
It should be "A few documents." You can use the corrected phrase when referring to a small number of documents in a context where you are discussing or listing them. Example: "I have a few documents that I need you to review before the meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

A few document fragile, improbable romances.

A few document types correspond to the majority of the clinical notes available.

A document is decomposed to a compact vector and a few document specific keywords by a dimension reduction approach.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

A few documents are on vellum.

There will be display of a few documents on September 19.

His identity was anonymised in all but a few documents.

News & Media

The Guardian

Only a few documents from the temples have been preserved, however.

Only a few documents and references to Sōtatsu or his work have been found.

Although he shared a few documents at the meeting, Justo was adamant: no cash, no data.

News & Media

The Guardian

On the other was Mr. Feinberg, who was glancing at a few documents.

News & Media

The New York Times

(Which strikes me as worse than forging a few documents, in the grand scheme of things).

News & Media

The New York Times
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the plural form "documents" when referring to more than one document. The correct phrase is "A few documents".

Common error

Avoid using the singular form "document" after "a few". Always use the plural form to maintain grammatical accuracy. For example, instead of writing "I reviewed a few document", write "I reviewed a few documents".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

2.3/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "A few document" functions as a noun phrase, but it is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct form is "A few documents". The intended function is to specify a limited quantity of documents.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "A few document" is grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "A few documents". As Ludwig AI highlights, the phrase should always use the plural form of "document" when referring to more than one. Although examples exist across different contexts like News & Media, Academia, and Science, its usage is rare. Remember to use "A few documents" to maintain grammatical accuracy and avoid common errors related to singular and plural usage. Alternative phrases like "several documents" or "some documents" can be used depending on the specific context and desired level of precision.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "A few document"?

The grammatically correct phrase is "A few documents". The word "few" indicates a plural number and needs to be followed by a plural noun.

When should I use "A few documents" in a sentence?

Use "A few documents" when you want to indicate a small, limited number of documents, such as "I only need "a few documents" to complete my research".

What can I say instead of "A few documents"?

You can use alternatives such as "several documents", "a couple of documents", or "some documents" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "A few documents" and "some documents"?

While both indicate a non-specific quantity, ""a few documents"" suggests a smaller number than "some documents". The choice depends on the level of precision needed.

ChatGPT power + Grammarly precisionChatGPT power + Grammarly precision
ChatGPT + Grammarly

Editing plus AI, all in one place.

Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

2.3/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: