a couple bricks

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a couple bricks" is not correct in standard written English; it should be "a couple of bricks." You can use it when referring to a small number of bricks, typically two or three, in a casual context.
Example: "I need a couple of bricks to finish building the garden wall."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

You could also take a chimney apart—grab a couple bricks and throw those.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"They take out a couple of bricks every couple of days," he says.

The New York Times

Place a couple of bricks or a concrete block at either end of the rack.

The New York Times - Food

But they also were armed with a couple of bricks taken from one of their homes.

The New York Times

PARELES -- There's the White Stripes album, which I think is also a couple of bricks short of a load.

The New York Times - Arts

They found a couple of bricks, piled one on top of the other, and took turns standing on them to look in the window.

The New Yorker

Ben Ratliff rated the White Stripes' "Elephant" as the fourth best album of the year, yet was quick to agree with Jon Pareles that the album was "a couple of bricks short of a load" ["Tasteful Imitations and Sagging Follow-Ups"].

The New York Times - Arts

When, in the early 1980s, mobile phones were the size of a couple of bricks and were operated with some difficulty and theatrical pretension by early model, red-braced yuppies and bullish property developers in big City suits, the traditional red GPO phone box, still seemed to be in with a chance.

The Guardian - Opinion

It's only when you watch a gang of raggedy kids construct a wicket from a couple of bricks on a gravel-strewn vacant lot next to a shanty town, and then watch them play a pick-up game with fire and flair worthy of a one-day international, that you realise the creative intensity of south Asian cricket, and the scale of its betrayal.

The Guardian - Sport

A couple of bricks are missing from a waist-level wall that leads to the front entrance, where a mail-slot cover is bent jaggedly.

Los Angeles Times

As a kid, I was convinced that my mom and her friends just had to carry around all sorts of magical items, plus a couple of bricks.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the plural form "bricks" with "a couple of". The correct phrase is "a couple of bricks".

Common error

Avoid omitting "of" after "a couple". Saying "a couple bricks" is grammatically incorrect and sounds awkward. Always include "of" for proper grammar: "a couple of bricks".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a couple bricks" functions as a noun phrase that attempts to quantify a small number of construction materials. However, it is grammatically incorrect without the preposition "of". Ludwig confirms the proper form is "a couple of bricks".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

33%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a couple bricks" is an grammatically incorrect attempt to quantify a small number of "bricks". The correct form is "a couple of bricks". As Ludwig points out, the inclusion of the preposition "of" is crucial for grammatical accuracy. Though understandable in informal contexts, it's best to adhere to the correct form. The phrase appears in news, wikis and scientific resources. Always remember to include the 'of'!

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

just a couple of bricks

Adds emphasis to the small quantity of bricks.

only a couple of bricks

Highlights the limited number of bricks involved.

a few bricks

Indicates an indefinite small quantity, similar to "a couple", but less specific.

a pair of bricks

Emphasizes the bricks as a set of two, equivalent to "a couple of bricks".

two bricks

Specifies the exact number of bricks, making it more precise than "a couple".

a brace of bricks

Similar to "a pair", emphasizing the bricks as a set of two.

several bricks

Refers to more than "a couple" but still suggests a relatively small quantity of bricks.

two or three bricks

Provides a range for the number of bricks, offering more flexibility than specifying exactly two.

some bricks

A less specific quantity but can still imply a small, manageable number of bricks.

a handful of bricks

Implies the amount of bricks that can be held in one hand, indicating a small number.

FAQs

Is it correct to say "a couple bricks"?

No, the grammatically correct phrase is "a couple of "bricks"". The word "of" is essential for proper grammar.

What's the difference between "a couple of bricks" and "a few bricks"?

"A couple of "bricks"" refers specifically to two bricks, while "a few "bricks"" indicates a small, unspecified number, usually more than two but less than several.

Can I use "a couple bricks" in informal conversation?

While you might hear "a couple "bricks"" in very informal speech, it's best to use the grammatically correct "a couple of bricks" in both formal and informal contexts to maintain clarity and correctness.

What are some alternatives to "a couple of bricks"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "two "bricks"", "a pair of "bricks"", or "some "bricks"".