few number of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'few number of' is not correct and should not be used in written English.
Instead, you should use 'a few' or 'a small number of'. For example: "I have a small number of pens in my pencil case."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's a very few number of players.

The New York Times

However, only a relatively few number of copper atoms are contained within the precipitates.

Journal of Nuclear Materials

A very few number of works present sound engineering mechanism for developing such software.

Procedia Computer Science

Whereas, the product prepared at 180 °C shows bunches accompanying a few number of free rods.

Materials Letters

RG: The dispute is really with a very few number of cable operators that control those homes.

The New York Times

Good identified results can be obtained from the short time histories of a few number of measurement points.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

We expect that the gross features of their morphology result from the combination of a few number of general processes.

Electrochimica Acta

In particular, it is practically desirable to visualize source position with as few number of sensors as possible.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

One reason is the good performance for test cases requiring only a few number of support points.

Aerospace Science and Technology

However, just a few number of published articles deal with the problem of observer design for these dynamical systems.

Journal of the Franklin Institute

Benefited from the hybrid objective function, only a few number of natural frequencies are needed in the detection process.

Swarm and Evolutionary Computation

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace "few number of" with more concise and grammatically correct alternatives like "a few" or "a small number of" for clearer and more professional writing.

Common error

Avoid using "number of" after "few". "Few" already implies a quantity, making "few number of" redundant. Opt for simply "few" or "a few" depending on the intended meaning and context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "few number of" functions as a determiner phrase, attempting to quantify a noun. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect, recommending alternatives like "a few" or "a small number of".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

22%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "few number of" appears frequently in diverse sources, including scientific articles and news reports, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. More concise and correct alternatives, such as "a few" or "a small number of", are recommended for clearer and more professional communication. These alternatives maintain the intended meaning of indicating a small quantity while adhering to standard grammatical conventions. Therefore, while the expression is common, writers should aim for greater precision and correctness in their writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few

Direct replacement, more concise and grammatically correct.

very few

Emphasizes the scarcity, similar meaning but grammatically sound.

a small number of

More formal alternative, emphasizes the small quantity.

not many

Simple and direct way to express a small quantity.

several

Indicates more than two but not many.

a handful of

Implies a quantity that can be held in one hand, informal.

limited number of

Highlights the restriction in quantity.

a scattering of

Suggests a dispersed and small quantity.

a minority of

Focuses on the small proportion compared to a larger group.

only a couple of

Informal, specifies approximately two.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically sound alternative to "few number of"?

Instead of "few number of", use phrases like "a few" or "a small number of". These options are more concise and grammatically correct.

How can I use "a few" instead of "few number of" in a sentence?

Replace "few number of" directly with "a few". For example, instead of "There are a few number of problems", write "There are a few problems".

Is there a difference in formality between "a few" and "a small number of"?

"A few" is generally less formal than "a small number of". Use "a small number of" in more formal or professional contexts where precision is important.

When is it appropriate to use "several" instead of "few number of"?

Use "several" when you want to indicate more than two but not very many. It's a good alternative when the exact quantity isn't important, but you want to convey that there's more than just a couple.