few smile

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "few smile" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey that only a small number of people smile, but it lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "In the crowded room, few smile at the speaker's jokes."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Oak, magnolia, elm, linden, cherry, to name but a few, smile as the show begins.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Physically the resemblance to Mirren is more remarkable than a few smile-lines, and is accentuated by Dyrholm's distinctive short blonde bob, so familiar to devotees of the addictive Danish television drama The Legacy and the result of her being cast directly after a movie in which her hair was cut short.

Independent

A few smiled amiably.

The New York Times

There are few smiles.

The New York Times

A few smiled, but said nothing.

The New York Times

A few smiles might do wonders.

The New York Times

Earlier in the postseason, James showed few smiles.

The New York Times - Sports

Bryant even cracked a few smiles from the bench.

The New York Times - Sports

Some winced, others looked bewildered, a few smiled.

The New York Times - Sports

"What we've actually seen is very little enjoyment, very few smiles, very few characters.

Independent

No more "bofs" but even a few smiles now.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a small number of people smiling, use grammatically correct phrases like "a few people smiled" or "few people were smiling".

Common error

Avoid using "few smile" as it is grammatically incorrect. Instead, ensure the verb agrees with the subject by using "a few smile" or "few people smile".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "few smile" is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase requires a noun after "few" or a different verb construction. The primary issue lies in the incorrect usage of "few" as a determiner without an associated noun in a sentence.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "few smile" might appear in informal contexts, it's grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase needs a noun after "few" or a different verb construction to be grammatically sound. Instead, opt for alternatives like "a few people smiled" or "few people were smiling" to accurately and effectively convey your intended meaning, especially in news or formal communications. Although the phrase appears primarily in news contexts, its incorrect grammar undermines its authority.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few people smiled

Rephrases to use the correct verb tense and make the sentence grammatically sound.

only a few smiled

Emphasizes the limited number of people who expressed happiness.

scarcely anyone smiled

Indicates a near absence of smiles.

hardly anyone smiled

Similar to 'scarcely anyone', suggesting very few smiles were seen.

a small number smiled

Uses a more formal tone to indicate the limited quantity of people smiling.

very few people smiled

Explicitly states the rarity of the smiling.

some people smiled

Implies that there were at least some instances of smiling

only a handful smiled

Conveys that the number of people who smiled was very small and easily countable.

there were few smiles

Rephrases the sentence to focus on the lack of smiles in general.

few were smiling

Focuses on the ongoing action of smiling, with only a small number participating.

FAQs

What's grammatically incorrect about "few smile"?

The phrase "few smile" is grammatically incorrect because "few" acts as a determiner needing a noun. Correct options include "a few people smile" or "few smiled", where 'few' acts as a pronoun.

How can I correctly use "few" to describe people smiling?

You can say "few people smile" or "a few people smiled". Both phrases are grammatically sound and convey the intended meaning.

Is "few smile" ever acceptable in writing?

While occasionally used informally, "few smile" is generally considered incorrect in formal writing. Opt for alternatives like "a few people smile" or "only a few smile" for clarity and correctness.

What are some alternatives to "few smile" that maintain a similar meaning?

Alternatives include "only a few smiled", "scarcely anyone smiled", or "hardly anyone smiled". These options accurately express the idea with correct grammar.