a few labels

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few labels" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a small number of labels, often in contexts related to categorization or organization. Example: "In the storage room, I found a few labels that I can use to organize the boxes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

They have managed to make a few labels that have won national and regional recognition.

The New York Times - Travel

Whereas the book industry had thousands of publishers, the music industry was controlled by just a few labels.

The Economist

"That's when a few labels got a hold of me and said, 'Yeah, that'll definitely work here,' " said Mark Connor, the managing director of Sheer Music.

The New York Times - Arts

She has always gone for safety and modesty over anything on trend (she sticks to the five finger rule of designers: Emilia Wickstead and Topshop, and a few labels in between) at most wearing yellow (very spring/summer 2016).

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"On a few labels they construed the meaning to be the exact opposite of what was meant," says Michael Wolf, a researcher at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and coauthor of the soon-to-be-published study.

Forbes

Due to NDA's on both sides of the table, I can't disclose anything specific regarding the labels we're speaking with but haven't yet signed, but I can say that we have met with a few labels from the big four recently and they have been very receptive to our business model".

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

This work concerns with learning motifs even only a few labeled data are given.

Journal of Big Data

SSL methods use a few labeled samples, and leverage the information from many unlabeled samples to train an accurate classifier.

Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine

However, acquiring such labels can be difficult and costly, and learning a CC classifier with only a few labeled data can lead to poor performance.

Knowledge-Based Systems

Our approach allows classifiers to be designed from training data that consists of only a few labeled and many unlabeled flows.

Performance Evaluation

Besides that, users are also requested to manually annotate or provide a few labeled data [166, 167] or generate of hand-crafted rules [168, 169].

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a few labels" when you want to indicate a small, indefinite quantity, typically more than two but not a large amount. The phrase is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "a few labels" when the exact number is known and relevant. If you know there are specifically three labels, stating "three labels" is more precise and informative.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few labels" functions as a determiner phrase modifying the noun "labels". It indicates a small but indefinite quantity. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature, supported by numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Wiki

26%

Science

21%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a few labels" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote a small, unspecified number of labels. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is appropriate in various contexts, particularly in news media, wiki articles, and scientific literature. While “a few” is considered neutral, it can be slightly informal depending on the context. When precision is required, specifying the exact number of labels is advisable. Alternatives like "several labels" or "a couple of labels" may be suitable depending on the context. Remembering these nuances will help you use "a few labels" effectively in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

just a few labels

Adds emphasis to the small quantity.

several labels

Replaces "a few" with a synonym indicating a small but indefinite number.

a couple of labels

Substitutes "a few" with a phrase indicating exactly two labels.

a handful of labels

Replaces "a few" with a phrase implying a small, manageable number.

some labels

Uses a more general term to indicate an unspecified quantity of labels.

a limited number of labels

Emphasizes the restriction in quantity compared to "a few".

a small selection of labels

Highlights that the labels represent a curated or chosen group.

a scattering of labels

Suggests the labels are distributed sparsely.

a trace of labels

Implies an extremely small, almost negligible number of labels.

a minority of labels

Highlights that the labels are fewer than the rest in a larger group.

FAQs

How to use "a few labels" in a sentence?

You can use "a few labels" to describe a small number of items with identifying markers. For example, "I need to print "a few labels" for these boxes".

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

You can use alternatives like "several labels", "a couple of labels", or "a handful of labels" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "a few labels" or "few labels"?

"A few labels" implies a small but positive number, while "few labels" suggests there are very few, possibly not enough. The choice depends on the intended meaning.

What's the difference between "a few labels" and "some labels"?

"A few labels" indicates a smaller quantity than "some labels". "Some" is more general and doesn't specify the quantity as precisely.