a few contest

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few contest" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "a few contests"? If this is the case, you can use it when referring to a small number of competitions or events. Example: "I plan to enter a few contests this summer to showcase my photography skills."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Riding on the train was not an option for average citizens, aside from a few contest winners.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

More than a few contests have turned into life and death struggles.

The New York Times

I entered a few contests, and at Equinox I took a course to earn my certification in personal training.

The New York Times

Tina Thompson and Katie Smith have combined for nearly 14,000 points and close to a thousand W.N.B.A. games, but they have only a few contests left before retiring.

The New York Times - Sports

"We've had a few contests in the past and usually I've been on the wrong side of it at the end but not today.

The Guardian - Sport

MICHAEL LUO MONEY | A Financial Rebirth for McCain Mr. McCain, whose campaign nearly ran out of cash and ended the year with only $2.9 million, has recently been experiencing the financial resurrection he had always predicted would happen once he won a few contests.

The New York Times

The Tony Awards, which will be doled out on Sunday, have a few contests that are too close to call.

Los Angeles Times

Even if he loses one or both of the first two states, he'll continue picking up delegates and would still be expected to win a few contests, like in his home state Vermont and places where Clinton is deeply unpopular, like Alaska and Colorado.

Huffington Post

The antagonisms are an illusion, for few contest the common base on which both depend.

The Guardian - Opinion

Cameron boosters start with a simple point that few contest: that he looks and sounds the part.

The Guardian

Before the consumer launch, though, Google will also start shipping developer versions to a few lucky contest winners and those who signed up for it at the company's I/O developer conference last year.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the plural form "contests" when referring to more than one competition. "A few" indicates a plural number, requiring the noun to be pluralized. Always double check for correct subject-verb agreement in your sentences.

Common error

Be careful not to use a singular noun after quantifiers like "a few", "several", or "many". These quantifiers indicate a plural number, and the noun should reflect this: use "contests" instead of "contest".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few contest" functions as a determiner followed by a noun, intended to indicate a small quantity of a competition or event. However, according to Ludwig AI, the phrase is not correct, as "a few" requires a plural noun.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a few contest" is grammatically incorrect. "A few" indicates a plural number, and thus, it should be followed by the plural noun "contests". Ludwig AI highlights this error, suggesting that it's not an acceptable phrase in standard English. To correct this, always use "a few contests" instead. While examples exist in News & Media contexts, it's crucial to use the grammatically correct form for clear communication. Always remember to verify your sentences for subject-verb agreement to avoid such errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few competitions

Replaces "contest" with the plural form "competitions" to correct the grammatical error.

several contests

Uses "several" instead of "a few" while keeping "contests" in its plural and correct form.

a couple of contests

Uses "a couple of" to indicate a small number of competitions, correcting the grammar.

some competitions

Replaces "a few" with "some" to express an indefinite but small quantity of competitions.

a handful of contests

Uses "a handful of" to suggest a small, manageable number of competitions.

a small number of contests

More formally states that the number of contests is limited.

limited number of contests

Emphasizes the restricted quantity of contests available.

a selection of contests

Focuses on the idea of choosing from multiple contests.

various contests

Indicates different types of contests are present.

a series of contests

Implies multiple contests occurring in a sequence.

FAQs

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

The grammatically correct way to express this idea is to use the plural form, saying "a few contests". The determiner "a few" indicates more than one, requiring the plural noun.

How do I use "a few contests" in a sentence?

You can use "a few contests" in sentences like: "I entered a few contests this year", or "There are a few contests still open for submissions".

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

Since "a few contest" is grammatically incorrect, you can use "a few contests" or alternatives like "several contests" or "a couple of contests" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "a few contest" or "a few contests"?

"A few contests" is correct. The phrase "a few" requires a plural noun. Therefore, "contests" is the appropriate form.