a few attempts

USAGE SUMMARY

"a few attempts" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to indicate that something was tried multiple times but not a large or overwhelming number of times. For example: "I made a few attempts to contact the customer, but I was unsuccessful."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Here are a few attempts at engagement.

The Guardian - Tech

A few attempts have been made to fix the system.

The Economist

It takes him a few attempts to get on.

The New York Times - Arts

After a few attempts she saw a patch of blood.

The Guardian

After a few attempts a policeman saw their plight.

The New Yorker

After a few attempts to lose his famous, but now old-Burberry, it was again stolen.

The New Yorker

They parted company in 1979, although they made a few attempts to play together again.

The New Yorker

Despite a few attempts at outreach, Occupy and the Tea Party never found much common ground.

The New Yorker

Big Ben makes a few attempts to push forwards, but the Cards defend resolutely.

The Guardian - Sport

I've made a few attempts to find someone else, but I never have".

The New York Times - Sports

There are a few attempts to signal that the advertising business is changing.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a few attempts" to convey a moderate number of tries, implying that the task wasn't immediately successful but also didn't require extensive effort. This phrase is suitable when the exact number of attempts isn't crucial, but the fact that it took more than one try is relevant.

Common error

In formal contexts, consider alternatives like "multiple attempts" or "several efforts" instead of "a few attempts". While grammatically sound, "a few attempts" can sometimes sound too informal for academic or professional documents.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few attempts" functions as a determiner phrase modifying a noun, indicating a limited quantity of efforts made. It adds detail by specifying that there was more than one try, but not an overwhelming number. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

34%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a few attempts" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate a small number of tries or efforts. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage across various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. While versatile, it's essential to consider the formality of the context and choose more sophisticated alternatives, such as "multiple attempts" or "several efforts", for formal documents. As Ludwig shows, the expression is prevalent across many authoritative sources, solidifying its status as a reliable and useful phrase in the English language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

several tries

Implies slightly more effort than "a few attempts" but remains within a small number.

a couple of tries

More informal and suggests exactly two attempts.

some efforts

Broader term that might involve more than just attempts, encompassing different kinds of efforts.

a handful of tries

Suggests a small, easily countable number of attempts.

repeated efforts

Emphasizes the iterative nature of the attempts more than the quantity.

multiple attempts

A more formal way of saying "a few attempts", indicating more than one try.

various attempts

Highlights the diversity in the attempts made rather than their number.

a series of tries

Implies a planned sequence of attempts.

initial attempts

Focuses on attempts made at the beginning of a process.

preliminary tries

Similar to initial attempts, these are early, often exploratory, efforts.

FAQs

How can I use "a few attempts" in a sentence?

You can use "a few attempts" to describe situations where someone has tried to do something more than once. For example, "After "a few attempts", she finally managed to open the jar."

What are some alternatives to "a few attempts"?

Alternatives include "several tries", "multiple attempts", or "some efforts". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "a few attempt" instead of "a few attempts"?

No, it is not correct. "Attempts" should be plural because "a few" implies more than one. Therefore, the correct phrase is ""a few attempts"".

What is the difference between "a few attempts" and "many attempts"?

"A few attempts" suggests a small number of tries, while "many attempts" indicates a large number of tries. The choice depends on how much effort was involved.