Determiner / Adjective / Pronoun / Noun A2 — Elementary /fjuː/

Few — Definition, Examples & Usage

A small number — one of the most important quantifiers in English, with a crucial distinction between few and a few.

Quick Definition

Few means a small number of people or things; not many. It can also refer to a small group. As a determiner or adjective it modifies plural countable nouns; as a pronoun it stands alone; as a noun the few refers to a small, select group.

What Does Few Mean?

Few comes from Old English feawe, related to Latin paucus (small, little) and Proto-Germanic *fawaz. It has been part of English since before the Norman Conquest, making it one of the oldest quantifiers in the language.

In modern English, few is a high-frequency word with four overlapping grammatical roles. As a determiner or adjective it comes before a plural countable noun: few people, few opportunities. As a pronoun it replaces a noun already understood: many tried, but few succeeded. As a noun, the phrase the few denotes a small, often elite group.

The most important distinction in English is between few (without the article) and a few (with the article). Few carries a negative or pessimistic tone — it implies that the number is smaller than expected or desired. A few carries a positive or neutral tone — it acknowledges that some things exist. This subtle difference is essential for natural, precise English.

Example Sentences

SentenceLevel & Usage note
Only a few students scored above ninety per cent in the exam. A2 — determiner with plural noun; from the provided example
I need a few more minutes to finish my homework. B1 — a few = some; positive/neutral quantity
Few people realise how much preparation goes into a stage production. B1 — few without article; negative/insufficient tone
The new policy affects quite a few employees across all departments. B2 — quite a few = a surprisingly large small number; collocation
Opportunities to observe the phenomenon in the wild are few and far between. C1 — idiomatic phrase; few as part of a fixed expression

Usage Notes

Key Distinctions

few vs a few: Use few (no article) to emphasise scarcity — the number is less than expected or sufficient. Use a few to state that some exist — the focus is on the presence, not the absence.

few vs little: Few goes with plural countable nouns (few books, few ideas). Little goes with uncountable nouns (little time, little information). The same rule applies to a few and a little.

few as pronoun: In formal and literary English, few stands alone as a pronoun when the noun is recoverable from context: Many are called, but few are chosen.

the few: This noun phrase refers to a small, select — often privileged — group: democracy for the many, not the few. It is common in political rhetoric and formal prose.

Collocations

CollocationMeaning & Example
a fewSome; a small number — Wait a few minutes.
quite a fewA surprisingly or noticeably large small number — Quite a few guests arrived early.
very fewAn extremely small number — Very few people volunteered.
precious fewDisappointingly or frustratingly small in number (formal/emphatic) — There were precious few alternatives.
a good fewBritish English for quite a number — A good few years have passed.
every fewAt intervals of — She checks her phone every few minutes.
few and far betweenRare and infrequent — Such chances are few and far between.
the lucky fewA small group fortunate enough to have something — Only the lucky few got tickets.
few, if anyAlmost none — Few, if any, exceptions apply here.
not a fewA considerable number (formal, literary) — Not a few scholars have questioned this theory.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

I have few money left in my account. (few with an uncountable noun)

I have little money left in my account. (use little with uncountable nouns)

She bought a few furnitures for her new flat. (furniture is uncountable and does not pluralise)

She bought a few pieces of furniture for her new flat.

There was few information available on the topic.

There was little information available on the topic. (information is uncountable — use little, not few)

Few of them was present at the meeting.

Few of them were present at the meeting. (few takes a plural verb)

Related Words

fewer fewest little a little some several many much a number of scarcely any

Practise This Word

Flash Cards Complete the Sentence Vocabulary Quiz Hangman

Frequently Asked Questions about “few”

What is the meaning of few?
Few means a small number; not many. It is used with plural countable nouns to indicate a quantity that is small, often smaller than expected or desired. For example: 'Few students passed the test' suggests disappointingly low numbers.
What is the difference between few and a few?
'Few' (without an article) has a negative or insufficient tone — it means 'not many, less than expected'. 'A few' has a positive tone — it means 'some, at least a small number'. Compare: 'Few people came' (disappointingly low turnout) vs 'A few people came' (some people did come, which is fine).
Is few used with countable or uncountable nouns?
Few and a few are always used with plural countable nouns: a few books, few students, a few ideas. For uncountable nouns, use 'little' or 'a little' instead: 'a little water', 'little time'. This is one of the most common mistakes made by ESL learners.
Can few be used as a pronoun?
Yes. Few can stand alone as a pronoun when the noun is understood from context: 'Many applied for the job, but few were shortlisted.' Here 'few' replaces 'few applicants'. This pronoun use is common in formal and written English.
What is the noun use of few?
As a noun, 'the few' refers to a small, select, or privileged group: 'Democracy is government by the many, not the few.' This usage has a literary or rhetorical tone and is common in political speech and formal writing.
What are common collocations with few?
Common collocations include: quite a few (a surprisingly large small number), very few (extremely small number), a good few (British English for quite a number), precious few (very few indeed), every few days/weeks (at intervals), and few and far between (rare and infrequent).
What is the difference between few and little?
Both few and little indicate a small quantity, but few is used with countable nouns (few books, few people) while little is used with uncountable nouns (little water, little time). Their article forms follow the same rule: 'a few friends' vs 'a little patience'.
What is the origin of the word few?
Few comes from Old English 'feawe' meaning 'not many', related to Old High German 'fao' and Latin 'paucus' (little, few). The root is Proto-Germanic *fawaz. It has been part of English since before the Norman Conquest, making it one of the oldest surviving quantifiers in the language.
How do you use few in formal writing?
In formal or academic writing, use 'few' (without 'a') to express that a number is smaller than expected or desired: 'Few studies have examined this variable.' Use 'a few' when you want to acknowledge that some examples exist: 'A few researchers have proposed alternative models.' The distinction signals your evaluative stance.
How can I practise using few in English?
Try LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise choosing between 'few', 'a few', 'little', and 'a little'. The Flash Cards tool lets you review quantifier vocabulary in context. Writing short paragraphs about statistics or survey results is also a great way to practise few naturally.