few job

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "few job" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "few jobs"? If this is the case, you can use it when referring to a small number of jobs or positions available or being discussed. Example: "There are only a few jobs available in the market right now."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

I'd had a few job offers.

The Guardian - Sport

There are few job opportunities and minimal possibilities for education".

The New York Times

They are also much more concentrated than men in just a few job categories.

The Economist

Applicants from prominent Chinese families, interviews show, often faced few job interviews and relaxed standards.

The New York Times

That will bring a few job reductions, with other cuts coming from noncompensation expenses.

The New York Times

A dismal performance in school left the young Leigh Fermor with few job prospects.

The New Yorker

Grown children, with few job prospects are slower to leave the home.

The New York Times

She says: The problem is that there are very few job opportunities here in east Durham.

The Guardian

He said he also had a few job offers from Wall Street.

The New York Times - Sports

I had a few job interviews, wrote a few freelance articles, did some tutoring, but found no steady work.

The New York Times - Magazine

Mr. Alexander said he expected few job cuts among engineers but did not address other staff cuts.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing limited employment prospects, consider using alternatives like "limited job opportunities" or "scarce job openings" for clearer communication.

Common error

Avoid using "job" in the singular after "few". This is a common grammatical error. Instead, use "jobs" to refer to multiple employment opportunities.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "few job" functions as a determiner followed by a noun, but it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig indicates that the correct form requires the plural noun "few jobs". Therefore, its intended function is to quantify and describe the limited availability of employment opportunities.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "few job" is a common but grammatically incorrect expression. The correct form is "few jobs". Ludwig highlights that "few jobs" is used to denote a small number of employment opportunities and is often used in neutral contexts such as news and scientific articles. When writing, always use the plural form "jobs" after "few" and consider using alternative phrases such as "limited job opportunities" or "scarce job openings" for clarity. Remember that "few" is used with plural countable nouns.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

limited job opportunities

Replaces "few" with "limited" emphasizing restriction in the availability of jobs.

scarce job openings

Uses "scarce" and "openings" to highlight the rarity of available positions.

rare employment prospects

Substitutes with "rare" and focuses on "employment prospects" conveying the difficulty in finding work.

a shortage of job vacancies

Emphasizes the deficiency of vacancies, making it clear there is an undersupply.

limited number of job positions

Specifies a restriction in the "number" of job "positions" available.

lack of job opportunities

Expresses a complete absence or deficiency of job opportunities.

inadequate job market

Focuses on the job market being insufficient to meet the demand.

meager job outlook

Describes the future job situation as poor or deficient.

restricted job availability

Indicates that the accessibility of jobs is limited or constrained.

dearth of employment options

Highlights a severe scarcity in the available employment choices.

FAQs

Why is "few job" considered grammatically incorrect?

In English grammar, "few" is used with plural countable nouns. Therefore, it should be "few jobs", not "few job". The phrase refers to multiple employment opportunities, requiring the plural form.

What is the correct way to use "few" when talking about employment?

Always use the plural form: "few jobs". For example, "There are "few jobs" available in this sector right now".

Are there alternatives to "few jobs" that I can use?

Yes, you can use alternatives like "limited job opportunities", "scarce job openings", or "rare employment prospects" to convey a similar meaning.

What's the difference between "few jobs" and "a few jobs"?

"Few jobs" implies a small number, often with a negative connotation (not enough). "A few jobs" also means a small number, but it's generally more positive, suggesting that there are some opportunities, even if not many.