couple weeks ago

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "couple weeks ago" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to describe a time period that has passed (usually two to three weeks) up until now. For example, "I saw her a couple weeks ago and she looked really good."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

"When was that?" "A couple weeks ago".

The New York Times - Sports

THOMAS: A couple weeks ago, we got a call.

The Washington Post

A couple weeks ago, I had to snap.

The New York Times - Magazine

"We talked about it a couple weeks ago: we're in the playoffs now," Nix said.

The New York Times - Sports

"With the storm, things are seeming more at risk than they were a couple weeks ago".

The New York Times

And had you ever been to New York before a couple weeks ago?

The New York Times

"A couple weeks ago, a dude got stabbed over by Will Call".

The New Yorker

Nature is a scientific journal, we had an article on our project couple weeks ago in Nature.

Cornell University

"I started protesting again when the K.K.K. came down here a couple weeks ago," she said.

The New Yorker

In his words: "I fired myself a couple weeks ago".

TechCrunch

A couple weeks ago, it started supporting high-resolution uploads.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing formally or needing to be exact, specify the date or use a more precise measurement of time like "14 days ago".

Common error

Avoid using "couple weeks ago" when you need to be precise. A 'couple' implies an approximation, so if the exact timeframe is critical, provide the specific dates instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "couple weeks ago" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause to indicate when an action occurred. Ludwig confirms its correct usage in providing context to past events.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Academia

19%

Science

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "couple weeks ago" serves as a useful and common way to reference a time approximately two weeks in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely accepted in various contexts. The phrase is prevalent in news and media, academia, and general conversation, offering a flexible way to indicate recent events without strict precision. While versatile, remember to use more specific dates when exactness is needed. Related options, such as "a fortnight ago" or "approximately two weeks ago", can be used to vary your language or adjust the level of formality. It's suitable for informal communication, though more formal contexts might benefit from precise dating.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Roughly two weeks ago

Similar to 'approximately', indicating an estimation.

Approximately two weeks ago

Adds a degree of imprecision to the timeframe.

A couple of weeks in the past

Adds extra emphasis on the past.

A fortnight ago

Uses "fortnight", a more formal term for two weeks.

Two weeks prior

Emphasizes the time preceding a specific event or date.

Around two weeks since then

Focuses on the elapsed time.

About two weeks back

More informal and colloquial.

In the past two weeks

Highlights the duration of the two-week period.

Two weeks from then

Refers to a point two weeks before a past event.

Not long ago

Vague and short timeframe that is recent and in the past.

FAQs

How do I use "couple weeks ago" in a sentence?

Use "couple weeks ago" to refer to something that happened approximately two weeks in the past. For example, "I saw her a "couple weeks ago" at the store".

What can I say instead of "couple weeks ago"?

You can use alternatives like "a fortnight ago", "approximately two weeks ago", or "roughly two weeks ago", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "couple weeks ago" or "a couple of week's ago"?

"Couple weeks ago" is the correct and more common phrasing. "A couple of week's ago" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "couple weeks ago" and "few weeks ago"?

"Couple weeks ago" implies a period closer to two weeks, whereas "few weeks ago" suggests a slightly longer, less defined period, usually around three to five weeks.