a certain individuals

USAGE SUMMARY

"a certain individuals" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to a group of people but don't want to name them specifically. For example, "I received complaints from a certain individuals about the noise."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Each process preferentially induces a certain nucleotide change within a certain 5′ and 3′ context, which is identified as a specific "signature".

Nature

And a certain 16-line vignette of a man pausing life and labor to consider the chill stillness yet to come.

The Washington Post

A certain 15-year-old.

The New York Times

She is seeking, one feels, a wild excess; yet a certain 70's-style tameness prevails, and the paintings feel stridently forced, clichéd and inert.

The New York Times - Arts

* AND YOUR SORELY NEEDED COMIC RELIEF, JOHN BOEHNER EDITION: Brian Beutler demonstrates that Obamacare is a really awesome deal for a certain 64-year-old smoker.

The Washington Post

For radial functions, we show that the Segal Bargmann transform is a unitary map onto a certain L2 space of meromorphic functions.

Journal of Functional Analysis

The Li+ ionic diffusion coefficient and conductivity are respectively of up to 1.2 × 10−��10 cm2/s and 1 × 10− 8 S/cm for LixTaOyCz films synthesized using an APPJ with a certain O2 gases addition of 9 sccm.

Surface and Coatings Technology

He failed by a narrow margin to return home with two golds, but made a huge impact on a certain 10-year-old watching on television, thousands of miles away in the Midlands.

The Guardian - Sport

As ever, the inspirations were obscure but the results were a very different take on the 70s, though not without a certain 70s louche swagger, inspired by a very specific artistic elite.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

In considering the reports that corticosteroids retard the treatment effectiveness of solid tumors and shorten survival to a certain extent16,31,32, the present findings opened a new market for the prevention of kidney injury in patients with solid tumors.

Nature

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Nine minutes 22 seconds into a news conference Thursday, Rex Ryan used the word "possibility" to answer a question about using a certain 236-pound player at running back on Sunday.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "a certain individuals" in formal writing. Instead, opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "certain people" or "a certain person" depending on whether you're referring to one or more people.

Common error

Ensure that the article (a/an/the) agrees in number with the noun. "A" or "an" should only be used with singular nouns. A common mistake is to say "a individuals" which is grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a certain individuals" functions incorrectly as a determiner phrase intended to specify some unspecified people. However, due to grammatical disagreement, it fails to properly fulfill this function. As per Ludwig, the grammatically correct substitute would be needed.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a certain individuals" is grammatically incorrect due to a mismatch between the singular article "a" and the plural noun "individuals". As Ludwig AI confirms, it is not usable in written English. Instead, you should use "certain people" for plural references or "a certain person" for singular references. While the intention is clear – to refer to unspecified persons – the incorrect grammar undermines the phrase's effectiveness in formal communication. Therefore, avoid this phrase and use the suggested alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Certain people

This is a direct plural replacement, removing the article "a" to match the plural noun.

A certain person

This corrects the grammar by using the singular noun "person" to agree with the singular article "a".

Some individuals

This replaces "a certain" with "some", indicating an unspecified number of people.

Specific individuals

This highlights that the individuals are known but not explicitly named.

Particular individuals

Similar to "specific individuals", this emphasizes the distinctness of the people in question.

Certain parties

This is a more formal alternative, suitable for legal or official contexts.

A particular person

Similar to "a certain person", but with a slightly more formal tone.

Someone

A general term referring to an unspecified person.

Various individuals

Highlights the diversity or variety among the unspecified people.

Those individuals

Refers to a group of people previously mentioned or understood.

FAQs

What is the correct way to refer to unspecified people?

Instead of the incorrect "a certain individuals", use phrases like "certain people" for plural or "a certain person" for singular.

Is "a certain individuals" grammatically correct?

No, "a certain individuals" is grammatically incorrect. The article "a" is singular, while "individuals" is plural. The correct usage depends on whether you're referring to one person or multiple people.

What can I say instead of "a certain individuals" to refer to a group of unspecified people?

Use "certain people", "some individuals", or "specific individuals" to correctly refer to a group without naming them.

What's the difference between "a certain individual" and "a certain individuals"?

"A certain individual" is grammatically correct and refers to one unspecified person. "A certain individuals" is incorrect because the singular article "a" doesn't agree with the plural noun "individuals".