Few vs A few at a glance
- few
/fjuː/ · determiner / pronoun
Not many, almost none; it has a negative feeling.
- Few people know how to fix this problem.
- The town has very few restaurants, so we usually cook at home.
- a few
/ə ˈfjuː/ · determiner / pronoun
A small number, some; it has a positive feeling.
- I've got a few friends coming over tonight.
- Wait a few minutes and try again.
How to remember it
A few = a bit, enough to be happy. Few alone = feel the lack. The same works for little / a little.
Good to know
Both go with plural countable nouns. Few on its own sounds quite formal; in everyday speech people often say "not many" or "very few" instead. "Quite a few" means a fairly large number: "Quite a few people came."
Common mistakes
Wrong: Don't worry, we still have few minutes.
Right: Don't worry, we still have a few minutes.
Wrong: Sadly, a few people came to the concert, so it was cancelled.
Right: Sadly, few people came to the concert, so it was cancelled.
Quick quiz
1.I've visited Paris times. I love it.
2.The exam was so hard that students passed.
3.Can I ask you questions?
Pick the right word for each gap.