so few that

USAGE SUMMARY

"so few that" is a grammatically correct phrase.
It is used to denote a small amount. For example, "He had so few friends that he often felt lonely."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

This result further explains why we previously obtained so few ZIP6-positive cells after 24 h of transfection and obtained relatively more after only 16 h of transfection due to detachment of ZIP6-positive cells.

Biochemical Journal

However, DNA methylation levels alone do not explain differences in the number of DUX4-FL expressing myonuclei among cells from different FSHD1-affected subjects or explain why so few FSHD1-affected myonuclei in a culture express DUX4-FL.

Clinical Epigenetics

In contrast, the 3' end of Avr1a is only present in each of the two identical copies of the Avr1a gene itself, so fewer (34) trace file matches occur, again within the predicted range of 27∀10.

Plosone

The NONA cohort has also demonstrated that at very advanced ages (>90 years), it is possible to move from having a CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio <1.0 to above 1.0, which is another possible reason why our study had so few people with CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratios <1.0 [ 8].

BMC Geriatrics

With so few cases, just 17 of those 500 have been officially identified as victims by the Court so far.

Huffington Post

To attend an Oval Test in the middle of the school holidays and see so few people under 16 - or under 30 for that matter – was dispiriting and worrying.

The Guardian - Sport

The last time they had so few points after 18 league games was in 2005-06, a season that was — ominously — marked by the resignation of Florentino Perez, the "galactico" president who of course is now back at the helm, and the end of Zidane's playing career.

The Times

A review of high courts around the world shows that most large nations have larger courts that avoid the concentration of power in the hands of so few jurists: Germany has 16, Japan 15, the United Kingdom 12, India 31, and Israel 15.

The Guardian - Opinion

The diversity of these groups were not represented as described previously [ 13, 14] and so few alleles from lemon (4) were still absent in the three putative parents of our study.

BMC Genomics

The reason why so few patients with a CHADS2 score of 0 changed to higher categories based upon vascular disease is demonstrated in Figure  1.

Europace

In Gaza, a spokesman for Hamas, Salah al-Baradweel, said Israel seemed to be punishing Gaza by freeing so few prisoners from there:  41 of the 550.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "so few that", ensure that the following clause clearly explains the consequence or implication of the small quantity. For example, "There were "so few that" the event was canceled."

Common error

Avoid using "so few" with uncountable nouns. "Few" is used for countable items. For uncountable nouns, use "so little" instead. For example, say "so little water that" not "so few water that".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "so few that" functions as a quantifier followed by a causal connector. It introduces a cause-and-effect relationship, indicating that the quantity of something is so small that it leads to a specific consequence. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "so few that" is a grammatically sound construction used to express that a quantity is insufficient, leading to a consequence. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct. While examples are currently limited, its structure and function make it versatile across various registers, though particularly useful for emphasizing deficiency. To ensure proper usage, use "so few" with countable items and avoid it with uncountable nouns (using "so little that" instead). Remember to follow the phrase with a clause that describes the result or implication of the limited quantity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

such a small number that

This alternative emphasizes the diminutive quantity using "such a small number" instead of "so few".

so little that

This alternative replaces "few" with "little", which is suitable when referring to uncountable nouns.

too few to

This alternative uses "too few" to express insufficiency, implying a lack or deficiency.

not enough to

This alternative directly states the lack of sufficiency using "not enough".

such a paucity that

This alternative uses the more formal term "paucity" to indicate a scarcity or lack.

so scant that

This alternative employs "scant" to highlight the minimal amount or quantity.

so minimal that

This alternative uses "minimal" to emphasize the extremely low quantity.

a negligible amount that

This alternative highlights the insignificance of the quantity using "negligible amount".

so rare that

This alternative focuses on the infrequency or rarity of the occurrence.

hardly any to

This alternative conveys a sense of near absence or extreme scarcity.

FAQs

How to use "so few that" in a sentence?

Use "so few that" to indicate a quantity or number is insufficient for a particular purpose or result. For example, "There were "so few applicants that" the position remained unfilled."

What can I say instead of "so few that"?

You can use alternatives like "such a small number that", "too few to", or "not enough to" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "so few that" or "too few that"?

Both "so few that" and "too few that" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning, but "too few that" is less common. The choice depends on the specific emphasis you want to convey.

What's the difference between "so few that" and "only a few"?

"So few that" emphasizes the insufficiency of the quantity, whereas "only a few" simply states that the quantity is small without necessarily implying a negative consequence. For example, "There were "only a few attendees"" simply indicates a small number of people were there, while "There were "so few that" the event was deemed a failure" highlights the negative impact of the small number.