a several million

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a several million" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly when referring to a quantity of millions, as "several" implies more than two but less than many, which does not fit with "million" in this context. Example: "The project cost a several million dollars" should be corrected to "The project cost several million dollars."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Toye's story is not only one of persistence and patience, but a selling job that took years of convincing combined with charm, wit, logic and a several million dollars thrown in at the end.

The Guardian - Sport

Recent Updates: Closed a "several million dollar" round of financing (it won't disclose exact figures).

Forbes

We understand that a recent UK Google AdWords campaign involved a "several million pound" AdWord campaign spend where over 80% of the phone numbers associated with the campaign were linked to dead phone lines.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

But an initiative to cap pain-and-suffering damages was trailing by a several thousand votes.

The New York Times

This paper describes a several ten thousand rpm class small-size air turbo blower.

Mechanism and Machine Theory

"According to our preliminary estimates this is going to be a several hundred dollar glass of milk," he said.

The Guardian - Tech

Currently, it has a several hundred paying couples on board.

TechCrunch

You know what's cooler than a (several hundred millionn users?

TechCrunch

Oh, and there's a several thousand dollar fine for each ride as well.

TechCrunch

"For perspective, a $50 million fund is effectively equivalent to a several hundred million dollar fund elsewhere," explained Hansch.

TechCrunch

I took the R8 on a several hundred mile road trip from Michigan's Detroit region to Traverse City.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to amounts in the millions, it's grammatically correct to say "several million" or "a few million" instead of "a several million".

Common error

Avoid using the article "a" before "several million". The correct usage is "several million", indicating a quantity greater than two million but less than many.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a several million" functions as a determiner followed by a quantifier and a noun. However, according to Ludwig, this construction is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct form is either "several million" or "a few million".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a several million" may appear in various sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The proper way to express this concept is by using "several million" or "a few million". The intended purpose is to quantify something in the millions. While there are existing examples, exercising caution and opting for grammatically correct alternatives is advisable. News & Media and Science contexts appear more frequently. Alternatives such as "millions of" or "in the millions" offer further ways to convey large quantities.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few million

Replaces 'several' with 'a few', which is more commonly used and grammatically sound.

several million

Removes the article 'a', correcting the grammatical error while maintaining the meaning.

millions of

Emphasizes the multitude by using 'millions of' instead of a specific quantifier.

a couple of million

Substitutes 'several' with 'a couple', specifying a smaller quantity within the millions range.

around three million

Replaces 'several' with a more precise estimate, clarifying the amount.

approximately four million

Similar to the previous, providing a more formal and specific approximation.

in the millions

Focuses on the range being in the millions without specifying a closer estimate.

multi-million

Uses a hyphenated adjective to describe something valued or involving multiple millions.

a considerable sum

Replaces the specific amount with a general term for a large amount of money.

a substantial amount

Similar to the previous, using a different adjective to indicate a significant quantity.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "a several million"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "several million" or "a few million". The article "a" is unnecessary and creates a grammatical error.

What is the difference between "a few million" and "several million"?

While both phrases refer to amounts in the millions, "a few million" generally implies a smaller quantity compared to "several million". However, the distinction is subtle and often depends on context.

Which is better to use: "a few million" or "several million"?

Both phrases are correct, but "several million" is more frequently used. If you want to imply a slightly smaller quantity, "a few million" might be more appropriate, although the difference is subtle.

What are some alternative ways to express amounts in the millions?

Besides "several million" and "a few million", you could use phrases like "millions of", "in the millions", or more specific estimates like "around three million" depending on the context.