couple more hours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "couple more hours" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a short amount of time that is greater than one hour but less than a few hours. For example, "I just need to finish up this project and then I'll be done in a couple more hours."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Travel

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

They could ride a couple more hours to stay warm.

The Guardian

But we would give him a couple more hours, and he would perk up, look happy.

The New York Times

He had already waited "too long", a couple more hours were not going to hurt.

The Guardian - Sport

If the rain and wind can hold off for a couple more hours, he'll likely have company.

The New York Times

Then after school I get the bus back to the pool and swim for a couple more hours.

The Guardian - Sport

After all, it was only 2 o'clock, and the lifts would be open for a couple more hours.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

When Karen hears that not only am I not a divorcee but a recent widower – I had avoided the subject – she is lovely about it and we spend a couple more chaste hours drinking, chatting and definitely not having sex in my house.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The sun still had a couple more of hours before making its appearance.

Huffington Post

And then he'll go on to the next one for a couple of more hours".

The New York Times - Sports

When the phone drained to 11 percent of its power, I connected it to the BoostBloc 2000, which allowed me to continue playing my music for a couple of more hours while still charging the phone back up to 92 percent.

The New York Times

It took me most of the day to get there: a few hours to find a police officer nice enough to allow me to ride one of the ferries over (all the bridges and tunnels were closed), and then a couple of more hours to walk downtown and slip past all the checkpoints.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, make sure the context clearly indicates what activity or situation the "couple more hours" refers to for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "couple more hours" when you need to be precise about time. The phrase implies an approximation, so if exact timing is critical, state the specific duration instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "couple more hours" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, indicating the duration of time required for an action or event. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Sports

17%

Lifestyle

8%

Less common in

Travel

8%

Wiki

4%

Science & Research

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "couple more hours" is a common and grammatically correct way to indicate an approximate duration of time, typically understood to mean around two hours. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability. It's most frequently used in news and media, sports, and lifestyle contexts. For situations requiring precision, it's advisable to specify the exact number of hours. While "couple more hours" is generally acceptable, a more precise timeframe (e.g., "two additional hours") may be preferred in formal professional contexts to ensure clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

another couple of hours

Highlights that the additional time is a second instance of a "couple of hours".

an extra couple of hours

Uses "extra" to highlight the additional nature of the time.

just a couple of hours more

Adds emphasis on the brevity of the extra time.

a couple additional hours

Replaces "more" with "additional", offering a more formal tone.

a further couple of hours

Uses "further" to indicate continuation of time.

a few more hours

Emphasizes a slightly less definite amount of time.

a pair more hours

Replaces 'couple' with 'pair', offering a slightly different phrasing.

approximately two more hours

Introduces an element of estimation or approximation.

around two more hours

Similar to 'approximately', indicating an estimated duration.

several more hours

Suggests a longer, indefinite period, still within a few hours.

FAQs

How can I use "couple more hours" in a sentence?

You can use "couple more hours" to indicate an approximate duration of additional time. For example, "We'll need a "couple more hours" to finish the project".

What's a more formal alternative to "couple more hours"?

For a more formal tone, consider using "an additional two hours" or "approximately two further hours" instead of a "couple more hours".

What does "couple more hours" generally imply about the duration?

"Couple more hours" suggests a timeframe of roughly two hours, but it's not a precise measurement. It implies an estimated duration rather than an exact one.

Is it appropriate to use "couple more hours" in professional communication?

While "couple more hours" is generally acceptable, using a more precise timeframe (e.g., "two additional hours") may be preferred in formal professional contexts to ensure clarity.