a team of five

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a team of five" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a group of people that are working together. For example, you could say, "Our research team consists of a team of five scientists."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

Think of a team of five Michael Jordans.

The New York Times

Tells about its making by a team of five.

The New Yorker

A team of five humans competes with the OpenAI Five.

MIT Technology Review

"In one class, I was a part of a team of five for a group project.

University of California, Berkeley

A team of five psychologists who counseled troubled students will lose their jobs.

The New York Times

He is assisted by a team of five young field workers.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

Not a team of two from his rival, but a team of three.

The New York Times

They only have a team of four staff members.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

A team of three ECE and one CS M.Eng.

Cornell University

(One hole was created by a team of two artists).

The New York Times

"We have a team of three writers," says Alexis.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a specific team size, use "a team of five" to clearly communicate the number of members. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures clarity in your writing.

Common error

Don't use phrases like "small team" if the exact number is known. Using "a team of five" provides more precise information and improves clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a team of five" functions as a noun phrase, specifically as a group determiner followed by a numerical descriptor. According to Ludwig, this phrase is correct and usable in written English, which confirms its grammatical validity and common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Academia

18%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

9%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a team of five" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to denote a working group consisting of five members. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, with a slight leaning toward news and media, academia, and scientific publications. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by avoiding vague alternatives like "small team" and emphasize the specific number of members. Remember that while "a team of five" is generally neutral, consider more formal alternatives like "a quintet" for professional settings where precision and formality are paramount.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a group of five individuals

Replaces 'team' with 'group' and specifies 'individuals' for clarity.

a quintet of people

Uses 'quintet' to denote a group of five, adding a more formal tone.

a unit composed of five members

Replaces 'team' with 'unit' and clarifies the composition with 'five members'.

five-person squad

Uses 'squad' instead of 'team' and uses 'five-person' as a compound adjective.

a crew consisting of five

Substitutes 'team' with 'crew', implying a group working together on a specific task.

a party of five

Uses 'party' to refer to a group, suitable in contexts where people are together socially or for a specific purpose.

a set of five collaborators

Replaces 'team' with 'set' and emphasizes collaborative work.

five associates working together

Focuses on the action of working together and uses 'associates' to describe the people.

a contingent of five personnel

Employs 'contingent' to suggest a group dispatched for a specific purpose and uses 'personnel'.

a force of five operatives

Implies a more formal or specialized group performing specific tasks, replacing 'team' with 'force'.

FAQs

How can I use "a team of five" in a sentence?

You can use "a team of five" to describe a group of five people working together, such as "The project was completed by "a team of five" engineers".

What are some alternatives to saying "a team of five"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "a group of five", "a quintet", or "a five-person squad".

Is it better to say "a team of five" or "a five-person team"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and understandable. "A team of five" is slightly more common, but "a five-person team" is also acceptable and emphasizes the size of the team.

In what contexts is "a team of five" most appropriate?

"A team of five" is suitable for describing any group of five individuals working together, whether in business, academia, sports, or other fields. It's a versatile and widely understood phrase.