a few care

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few care" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to express that a small number of people have concern or interest in something, but it lacks clarity and proper grammatical structure. Example: "While many are indifferent, a few care about the environmental impact of our actions."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

We got up early to beat the infamous Dhaka traffic and headed Northeast to Narshingdhi to visit a few CARE projects that focus on educating and involving the families of pregnant women as well as the community to prevent maternal deaths in this region.

Huffington Post

A few care farms offer qualifications to their clients.

BMJ Open

(Care Partner-Liz, 6 month interview) A few care partners reported that they had read the information kit and found it helpful.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

They've made some strides, such as in how icons are scaled, but creating a scalable but consistent interface is extremely tricky; PPI, DPI, scaling, filtering, and all their effects on design are a jungle few care to walk into.

TechCrunch

The philosophical choices are telling: the United States provides optimal care for a few, no care at all for many; Canada provides good care for all its people.

The New York Times

From the moment peak oil has been reached a fossil fuel-based economy will enter a downward spiral eventually leading to a situation that few care to contemplate.

Huffington Post

Yet Dropcam's founders Greg Duffy and Aamir Virani saw an opportunity they believed in, in a space few cared about — and they had the bravery to pursue it.

TechCrunch

Unfortunately, there is a mistaken feeling among some of those who decide what people shall see that nobody but a select few cares to view anything but dull records".

The New Yorker

That money is financing a record trade deficit that few care about as long as jobs are plentiful.

The New York Times

On a sprawling industrial estate, angry workers watched by riot police rage about an issue few cared much about until recently: their pensions.

The Economist

A few health care workers were infected when they accidentally stuck themselves with contaminated needles.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to express that a small number of people are concerned, use grammatically correct phrases like "some people care" or "only a few people care" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "a few care" directly. It lacks a subject after "few", leading to grammatical errors. Always ensure the subject is clearly defined, for example, "a few people care."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few care" functions as an ungrammatical subject and verb construction. As Ludwig AI suggests, this construction is grammatically incorrect, as "few" requires a specified subject to adhere to standard English grammar.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a few care" appears in various sources, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI points out the necessity of a clear subject following "few" to ensure grammatical correctness. More suitable alternatives include phrases like "some people care" or "a handful of people care", which provide clarity and adhere to standard English grammar. Although the phrase's intent is to convey concern among a small group, it's best to avoid it in formal writing and opt for grammatically sound alternatives for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

some people care

Replaces "a few" with "some", offering a slightly broader sense of a non-specific, small group.

a handful of people care

Substitutes "a few" with "a handful", which is more emphatic about the small quantity.

only a few people care

Adds "only" for emphasis, highlighting the limited number of concerned individuals.

there are few who care

Restructures the sentence to emphasize the rarity of concern.

only a small number care

Uses "small number" instead of "few" to denote the limited quantity.

a minority cares

Employs "minority" to specify a small group relative to a larger population.

not many people care

Uses a negative construction to imply a lack of widespread concern.

scarce individuals care

Emphasizes the rarity of concerned individuals using "scarce".

a select few care

Suggests that the individuals who care are chosen or distinct.

a trickle of people care

Implies that very few people care, comparing it to a very slow flow.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "a few care"?

The grammatically correct ways to express that a small number of people care are "some people care", "only a few people care", or "a handful of people care".

Is "a few care" grammatically correct?

No, "a few care" is not grammatically correct. It's missing a subject after "few". Proper alternatives include "a few people care" or "some care".

What does "a few care" mean?

The intended meaning of "a few care" is that a small number of individuals are concerned or interested in something. However, it's better to use clearer phrases like "some people are concerned".

Can I use "a few care" in formal writing?

No, it is not appropriate for formal writing. Opt for more grammatically sound options like "a minority cares" or "a small number care" to maintain professionalism.