a few loans

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few loans" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a small number of loans, typically in a financial or lending context. Example: "The bank approved a few loans for small businesses this month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

He took out a few loans and bought three vehicles.

The New York Times

I am not sure how it went from a few loans to a lot.

The Guardian - Business

There are a few loans that help college students afford university, but they must be paid back.

Stanford University

The idea of a moderate state is something cooked up by politicians looking to get a few loans here and there.

The New York Times - Magazine

UNTIL this week America's authorities clung to the hope that they could tide over the financial system with a few loans until home prices stabilised and all the bad debts were accounted for.

The Economist

As required, most of the works are from the Hessel collection, with the artists adding some of their own pieces and a few loans from the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

For its part, First Alliance denies "in the strongest terms" that it has a companywide practice of deceiving borrowers and has described some cases cited in regulatory documents as isolated misunderstandings involving a few loan officers.

The New York Times

Only a few loan-to-own deals have happened this year notably in the debt of Endemol, a distributor of lowbrow television shows, and Fitness First, a struggling chain of gyms.In America a few firms have fallen into the vultures' talons examples include Charter Communications, a cable operator, and Aleris, an aluminium processor.

The Economist

"We've got a few loan deals that will expire in the next week or so and that will change our squad a fair bit so we'll look to bring some players in and set ourselves up for the New Year.

BBC

"Rules are rules," said Calderwood. "Dundee managed to get a few loan players and trialists in and they and Barry Smith did brilliantly until they were hit by some injuries, but Dunfermline went on to be deserved champions".

BBC

There are quite a few loan translations, e.g., galt tereg 'train' ('fire-having cart') from Chinese huǒchē (火车, fire cart) 'train'.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a few loans", consider the context to determine if a more specific term (e.g., "two loans", "several loans") would be more appropriate for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "a few loans" when you actually mean a significant number of loans. "A few" implies a small, limited quantity. If the number is substantial, use terms like "many loans" or "a large number of loans".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few loans" functions as a determiner phrase modifying the noun "loans". It specifies a small quantity of loans, indicating that the number is limited but more than one. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a few loans" is a common and grammatically correct way to refer to a small number of loans. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability and provides various examples across different contexts, primarily in news and media. When using this phrase, it's important to ensure that the quantity is indeed small and to consider whether a more precise term would be more appropriate for clarity. It's also crucial to avoid misinterpreting "a few" as "many", as this can lead to misunderstandings. Alternatives such as "several loans" or "some loans" may be more suitable depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Just a few loans

Adds emphasis to the small quantity of loans, potentially indicating surprise or relief.

Several loans

Emphasizes a slightly larger quantity than "a few", but still indicates a limited number.

A small number of loans

A more formal way to express the concept of "a few loans", suitable for professional contexts.

Some loans

A more general term, indicating an unspecified but not necessarily large number of loans.

A handful of loans

Similar to "a few", suggesting a small quantity that can be easily managed or counted.

A couple of loans

Specifically refers to two loans, providing a more precise quantity than "a few".

A restricted number of loans

Highlights the constraint on the quantity of loans.

Limited loans

Highlights the restricted quantity of loans available or taken out.

A minority of loans

Emphasizes that the loans represent a smaller portion of a larger set.

A sprinkling of loans

Informal and implies the loans are spread thinly or are infrequent.

FAQs

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

You can use "a few loans" to indicate a small number of loans taken out or provided. For example, "He took out a few loans to start his business" or "The bank approved a few loans for small businesses."

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

You can use alternatives like "several loans", "some loans", or "a small number of loans" depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "a few loans" or "several loans"?

"Several loans" is generally considered slightly more formal than "a few loans", but both are acceptable in most contexts. A phrase like "a small number of loans" would be even more formal.

Can "a few loans" be used to describe a large sum of money?

While "a few loans" indicates a small number of loans, the total amount borrowed could still be significant depending on the loan sizes. The phrase itself describes the quantity of loans, not necessarily the overall monetary value.