citing a few

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "citing a few" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to reference or mention a small number of examples or sources in a discussion or argument. Example: "In my research paper, I will be citing a few studies that support my thesis."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Stevenson began by citing a few sobering statistics.

Harvard University

"I don't have much hair, so I make sure that I have suntan lotion all over my face and head when I'm out there," Mr. Albanese said, citing a few dermatologic issues over the years.

The New York Times

In retrospect, Mr Nixon failed even at those potentially achievable tasks.Asked which management books he paid attention to, Bill Gates once replied, "Well, Drucker of course," before citing a few lesser mortals.

The Economist

As for the Democrats, the nurse is happy to see a black guy who might become president, but she doesn't care for Hillary; after citing a few unflattering facts of doubtful truthfulness, she comes up with the word "bitchy".

The New Yorker

Someone with as much influence as Hart could "help change homophobia in the black community," Lemon said, before citing a few statistics: 44percentt of homeless gay youth are black, as are 62percentt of homeless transgender youth.

The Washington Post

January 27th is Mozart's birthday, and, after citing a few favorite pieces by Mozart, I tweeted out a link to Cohen's recordings of Mozart piano sonatas, from the mid-nineties.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Gore's friends like to cite a few other examples.

The New Yorker

But some tenants' brokers cite a few disquieting signs.

The New York Times

This short blog just cited a few key and mainly recent publications.

Cornell University

It may be well to cite a few cases by way of illustration.

Cornell University

But let me cite a few other things that made a very strong impression.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "citing a few" when you want to indicate that you are not providing an exhaustive list, but rather highlighting key examples. This manages expectations and focuses the reader on the most important points.

Common error

Avoid using "citing a few" as a placeholder for actual research. If you use this phrase, make sure you actually provide specific citations; otherwise, it weakens your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "citing a few" functions as a discourse marker, often used to introduce examples, references, or statistics in support of an argument or statement. Ludwig's examples show its use in various contexts, from academic papers to news articles.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Academia

21%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "citing a few" is a common and grammatically sound way to introduce a limited number of examples or references to support a point. It's versatile, fitting various contexts from academic writing to news reporting. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely accepted and used. When using this phrase, ensure that the cited sources are relevant and add substance to your argument, avoiding overuse without backing it up with actual evidence. The most frequent contexts are news, academia and science.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mentioning a couple

Replaces "citing" with "mentioning" and "few" with "couple", altering the verb and adjective while keeping the core meaning intact.

referencing some

Substitutes "citing" with "referencing" and "few" with "some", changing the verb and adjective for a slightly different tone.

listing several

Uses "listing" instead of "citing" and "several" in place of "a few", which changes the action and quantity implied.

pointing out a handful

Replaces "citing" with "pointing out" and "a few" with "a handful", offering a more descriptive alternative for the act of referencing.

noting a limited number

Changes the verb to "noting" and specifies "a limited number" instead of "a few", which provides a more formal tone.

giving a couple of instances

Replaces "citing" with "giving instances" and "a few" with "a couple", which significantly alters the sentence structure while retaining similar meaning.

providing a small selection

Uses "providing a selection" for "citing" and "small" for "a few", changing the verb and adjective to emphasize the act of offering examples.

offering a handful of examples

Changes "citing" to "offering" and replaces "a few" with "a handful of examples", which makes the phrase more descriptive.

alluding to a limited selection

Substitutes "citing" with "alluding to" and "a few" with "a limited selection", offering a more indirect way of referencing.

drawing attention to some

Replaces "citing" with "drawing attention to" and "a few" with "some", shifting the focus to highlighting specific items.

FAQs

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

You can use "citing a few" to introduce examples or references, such as: "When discussing the economic impact, I will be "citing a few" key studies". Make sure the citations are relevant and strengthen your point.

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

You can use alternatives like "mentioning a couple", "referencing some", or "listing several" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "citing a few examples" or "citing some examples"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "citing a few examples" implies a smaller, more select group, while "citing some examples" is more general. Choose based on the level of precision you want to convey.

What's the difference between "citing a few" and "citing several"?

"Citing a few" indicates a small number of examples, whereas "citing several" suggests a larger, though still limited, quantity. The choice depends on how many examples you are actually providing.