precisely five of them

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "precisely five of them" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to specify an exact quantity of five in a clear and emphatic manner. Example: "After counting the apples, I found that there were precisely five of them left in the basket."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

There are precisely five of them: Amy, Alicia (Elle Fanning, Marie Addison Riecke, Emily Emma Howardwand), and Jane Angourie Ricee, who made such an impact as Ryan Gosling's daughter in "The Nice Guys").

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

I will show that precisely two of them are topologically stable: they persist outside the perturbative regime.

University of California, Berkeley

It's a good job no one starts a postgraduate degree in gender studies to meet men: my MPhil class at Cambridge contains precisely zero of them.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Of the 23 candidates running for president in the two major parties, precisely four of them have ever shown even 20percentt support (in their polling averages from their base voters).

Huffington Post

That there are precisely two of them in the entire movie who show some guts, some brains, and some gumption and are wearing relatively modest clothes (why is it that the men in this movie are covered from head to toe in suits or sweatpants and sweatshirts, while the women are barely clothed?).

Huffington Post

More precisely, eight of them play a relevant role in integrin αIIbβ3 signaling: α-actinin-1, ADAP (adhesion- and degranulation promoting adapter protein) – also known as FYB or SLAP-130 - and Src [12]; filamin-A [16], F-actin capping protein [17], zyxin [17], ILK [18], and talin-1 [19].

Plosone

But the Republican Party has known for a long time that Mr McCain is not precisely one of them and they still chose him anyway.

The Economist

Or more precisely one of James's relatives.

The New York Times - Sports

Precisely: one of the best players in the world.

The New York Times - Sports

Aside from South Carolina, Mr Gingrich has won precisely one of the 38 states and territories that have so far voted: his adopted home state of Georgia.

The Economist

But that's precisely one of the points that Maryam Keshavarz, who wrote and directed "Circumstance" on a budget of less than $1 million, was trying to make.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "precisely five of them" when you want to emphasize the exactness and accuracy of the quantity. This phrase is suitable for formal and informal contexts where precision is important.

Common error

While "precisely five of them" is grammatically correct, avoid overusing "precisely" in very casual conversations. In extremely informal settings, consider simpler alternatives like "just five" or "exactly five" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "precisely five of them" functions as a quantifying phrase. It specifies an exact number and modifies a noun or pronoun to indicate the specific quantity. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "precisely five of them" is a grammatically correct and usable English phrase for specifying an exact quantity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it clearly conveys a precise count of five. It is most suitable for contexts where accuracy and emphasis are important, such as news reports, scientific documents, and formal presentations. While versatile, in extremely informal settings, you may consider simpler alternatives like "just five" or "exactly five" to maintain a natural tone. The related phrases, such as "exactly five of them" and "only five of them", offer similar meanings with slight variations in formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exactly five of them

Replaces "precisely" with "exactly", emphasizing the accuracy of the number.

specifically five of them

Stresses the specific number being referenced is five.

just five of them

Uses "just" to indicate the quantity is specifically five and no more.

only five of them

Highlights that the quantity is limited to five.

a precise count of five of them

Replaces "precisely" with "a precise count", focusing on the action of counting.

definitely five of them

Emphasizes the certainty of the number, replacing "precisely" with "definitely".

no more than five of them

Emphasizes the upper limit of the quantity, stating it is not greater than five.

a fixed number of five of them

Emphasizes the number five is fixed and unchangeable.

in particular, five of them

Highlights a specific subset of five from a larger group.

a mere five of them

Adds a sense of surprise or insignificance to the small quantity of five.

FAQs

How can I use "precisely five of them" in a sentence?

You can use "precisely five of them" to indicate an exact count. For example, "After a thorough search, we found "precisely five of them" remaining."

What's the difference between "precisely five of them" and "exactly five of them"?

While both phrases convey the same meaning, "precisely five of them" might suggest a more formal or measured tone, while "exactly five of them" is generally more common in everyday speech.

Are there any alternatives to "precisely five of them" for a more casual tone?

Yes, you could use alternatives like "just five of them", "only five of them", or simply "five of them" depending on the context.

In what situations is it most appropriate to use "precisely five of them"?

"Precisely five of them" is most appropriate when you need to emphasize the exactness of the number, such as in scientific reports, legal documents, or formal presentations. However, it might sound overly formal in extremely casual settings.