a few amount of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few amount of" is not correct and is not usable in written English.
A better phrase to use instead is "a small amount of." For example, "We have a small amount of supplies left."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"It's a massive amount of people going for just a few amount of calls".

The New York Times

"I just try to provide hope, knowing that if we're down a few amount of points in the fourth quarter, that we got a chance to win," Stoudemire said.

The New York Times - Sports

In any case, the performance of the 1D-PLS and 2D-PLS methods converges with a few amount of components and remains stable.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

The starting red mud was found to contain hematite, katoite, cancrinite and a few amount of diaspore, which hardly dissolved and participated in the geopolymerization reaction.

Construction and Building Materials

Microstructure of air cooled specimen consists of lower bainite with a few amount of lath martensite, whereas a mixture of lath martensite and lower bainite in prior pan-caked austenite grains has also been obtained on water quenching.

Journal of Alloys and Compounds

Addition of a few amount of Cu to DLC resulted in a rise in plastic hardness and H3/E2 ratio of Cu/DLC composite thin films, but optimum value was observed for composite films having an intermediate Cu concentration.

Surface and Coatings Technology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

While there were still a few amounts of single-molecule clusters inside the gel, three-dimensional network structure had already reached stability through intermolecular cross-linking.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

The intermediate layer is considered to take into account the part of support with a few amounts of metal where the pore diameter is reduced due to the deposited metal on the wall of the pores.

Chemical Engineering Science

Apply only a few amounts of the mixture.

WikiHow

Multi-target regression algorithms can compensate for a fewer amount of training instances available for a problem by exploiting the knowledge of a similar problem.

Journal of Cheminformatics

MR: Do you prefer recording with a fewer amount of tracks?

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing quantities, choose "number" for countable items and "amount" for uncountable items. Saying "a small amount of water" is correct, while "a small number of water bottles" is also correct.

Common error

Avoid using "amount" with countable nouns. For example, instead of saying "a few amount of books", say "a few books" or "a small number of books".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few amount of" functions as a determiner attempting to quantify something. However, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect and suggests alternatives. The correct usage depends on whether the noun being quantified is countable or uncountable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

31%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a few amount of" is flagged by Ludwig AI as grammatically incorrect. While examples exist showing its usage across various domains such as science, news, and wikis, it's crucial to understand the underlying grammatical principle. The confusion stems from the misuse of "amount" with countable nouns. To correct this, replace it with "a small amount of" for uncountable nouns or "a number of" for countable nouns. Paying attention to these nuances will enhance clarity and precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a small amount of

Replaces "few" with "small" to align with correct usage regarding uncountable nouns.

a number of

Uses "number" instead of "amount" to be grammatically correct when referring to countable items.

a couple of

Specifies a small quantity, implying two.

several

Indicates more than two but not many.

a handful of

Implies a small, easily manageable quantity.

a limited quantity of

Emphasizes the restriction in the quantity available.

a reduced quantity of

Highlights that the quantity is less than what it used to be.

a sprinkling of

Suggests a very small, almost negligible amount.

a trace of

Indicates an extremely small, often barely detectable amount.

a portion of

Suggests a limited part of something.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "amount" in a sentence?

Use "amount" with uncountable nouns, such as liquids, substances, or abstract concepts. For instance, "a large amount of water" or "a significant amount of time" are correct. Avoid using it with countable nouns; instead, use "number".

What's the difference between using "number" and "amount"?

"Number" refers to countable items (e.g., "a number of books"), while "amount" refers to uncountable substances or concepts (e.g., "a large amount of information"). Choosing the correct term ensures grammatical accuracy.

What can I say instead of "a few amount of"?

You can use alternatives like "a small amount of" (for uncountable nouns) or "a number of" (for countable nouns) depending on the context. Using these alternatives ensures grammatical correctness and clarity.

Which is correct: "a few amount of" or "a small amount of"?

"A small amount of" is correct. "A few amount of" is grammatically incorrect because "few" should be used with countable nouns while "amount" is used with uncountable nouns. Therefore, it is better to rephrase the sentence using "small amount".