a few increase

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few increase" is not correct in written English.
It is unclear and does not convey a coherent meaning. Example: "There has been a few increase in the number of participants this year."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Aging

News & Media

Measurement

Vice

BMC Health Services Research

WikiHow

The Economist

Advances in Space Research

Science Magazine

Huffington Post

Unicef

Environmental Health Perspectives

The New York Times

Forbes

Los Angeles Times

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

European Journal of Soil Biology

eLife

Carbon

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Diabetes Care

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

DNA Research

BMJ Open

Princeton University

The Guardian

Materials Today

NeuroImage

Plosone

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Critical Care

The Washington Post

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We also analyzed pS/TQ signals in differentiated cells and observed a few increase of the signal in ECs and EEs with age and oxidative stresses.

Aging

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Some models received much larger cuts of $1,200 to $2,000, while a few increased in price.

The New York Times

The British plan includes a few increases, notably for the government-run health care system.

The New York Times

A few increases in sawing machine vibration cause a significant increase in the maintenance cost, which is important, because it determines the production cost.

Measurement

A few increases in price, stricter limits on what movies users can see, a few other nips and tucks here and there including a few tweaks to the system to fix its bumbling customer service issues and it could remain viable thanks to name recognition.

Vice

Only a few increased the risk significantly: mental disorders, thrombosis, skin diseases, systemic rheumatic diseases and transplantation, metabolic disorders.

BMC Health Services Research

If almost everyone has positive points after a few rounds, increase the zone around Willy, or increase the number of freers.

WikiHow

A few would increase presidential powers.

The Economist

Finally, a weak atmospheric magnetic field can slightly, by a few percent, increase the frequency of the eigen-mode.

Advances in Space Research

Most of those mutations are harmless, but a few might increase the risk for certain diseases.

Science Magazine

repetitive exposures – repetitive dives within a short period of time (a few hours) increase the risk of developing DCS.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a small increase, use more grammatically sound alternatives such as "slight increase" or "modest increase". These phrases provide clarity and are widely accepted.

Common error

Avoid using "a few increase" as it lacks grammatical correctness. Instead, consider using "a few increases" for plural instances or opt for "a slight increase" for a singular instance to convey your intended meaning more effectively.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few increase" attempts to describe a small quantity of growth or augmentation. However, it's grammatically incorrect; a more appropriate structure would involve using "increases" as a plural noun or replacing the phrase with a more idiomatic expression. Ludwig AI also confirms its incorrectness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a few increase" is not grammatically correct in standard English and should be avoided in formal writing. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. While the intention is often to convey a small amount of growth or rise, opting for alternatives like "a slight increase" or ""a few increases"" will ensure better clarity and grammatical accuracy. When communicating in professional settings, it’s best to use language that is precise and free from grammatical errors. Although the phrase appears in various contexts, including news and scientific articles, its infrequent use suggests it's not a common or accepted idiom. Focusing on grammatically sound alternatives improves communication and enhances credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a slight rise

Replaces "increase" with "rise", implying a gentle upward movement or elevation.

a minor growth

Substitutes "increase" with "growth", suggesting a gradual expansion or development.

a small uptick

Uses "uptick" instead of "increase", referring to a small and often temporary increase.

a marginal increment

Replaces "increase" with "increment", denoting a slight addition or increase.

a modest improvement

Changes "increase" to "improvement", suggesting a positive change or enhancement.

a limited expansion

Employs "expansion" instead of "increase", indicating a limited or contained increase.

a fractional gain

Uses "gain" to replace "increase", implying an acquisition or addition of something.

a minimal addition

Replaces "increase" with "addition", emphasizing a small increase or supplement.

a trickle increase

The word "trickle" specifies that increase is happening in a slow way.

a shade increase

The word "shade" specifies that increase is happening a bit.

FAQs

What is a more grammatically correct alternative to "a few increase"?

More appropriate alternatives include "a slight increase", "a small increase", or "a modest increase". The original phrase is not considered standard English.

How can I use the idea of "a few" with an increase in a grammatically sound way?

Use "a few increases" if you are referring to multiple instances of something increasing. For example, "There have been "a few increases" in price this year".

What does it mean when someone says "a few increase"?

While not grammatically correct, "a few increase" is likely intended to mean a small or limited increase. It's better to use clearer phrasing like "a minor increase" or "a limited increase".

Is "a few increase" ever considered acceptable in writing?

No, "a few increase" is generally not considered acceptable in formal or professional writing. It is best to use grammatically correct alternatives to ensure clarity and credibility.