Determiner / Pronoun A2 — Elementary /ˈsev.ər.əl/

Several — Definition, Examples & Usage

More than two but not very many — a small but notable number.

Quick Definition

Several means more than two but not very many — an indefinite moderate number, usually between three and seven. It also has a formal meaning of separate or respective, especially in legal contexts such as "joint and several liability".

What Does Several Mean?

Several traces back to Medieval Latin separalis ("separate, individual"), from Latin separ ("apart"), which also gives us separate and sever. It entered English via Anglo-French severel in the 15th century, initially meaning "distinct" or "respective". By the 16th century the modern sense — "more than two but not very many" — had become firmly established. The formal legal sense of "individual responsibility" survives unchanged from the original Latin meaning.

In everyday modern English, several functions as a determiner placed before a plural countable noun ("she read several books") and as a pronoun that stands alone in place of a noun phrase ("I asked ten people, but several couldn't come"). The quantity it describes is deliberately vague — the speaker implies a noticeable but limited number without committing to an exact figure.

Understanding the difference between several, a few, some, and many is essential for expressing quantity naturally in English. Several sits between a few (two or three) and many (a large number). It carries a slightly more formal tone than a few and is common in both written and spoken British English across all registers.

Example Sentences

SentenceLevel & usage note
There are several books on the shelf. A2 — determiner before plural noun
She practised the dialogue several times before the speaking test. B1 — several + times; repeated action
Several of the students had already studied the grammar rule before class. B1 — several of + determiner + noun; pronoun use
The researchers conducted several independent experiments to verify their results. B2 — academic register; several modifying a complex noun phrase
Under the contract, each party bears joint and several liability for any losses incurred. C1 — formal legal sense: individual and separate responsibility

Collocations

CollocationExample
several timesI have visited Paris several times.
several yearsShe lived abroad for several years.
several daysThe repairs took several days to complete.
several weeksHe spent several weeks revising for his exams.
several monthsThe project was delayed by several months.
several peopleSeveral people left early due to the weather.
several of them / us / youSeveral of them arrived late to the meeting.
several attemptsAfter several attempts, she finally passed the test.
several options / reasonsThere are several reasons to choose this approach.
several hundred / thousandSeveral hundred volunteers signed up to help.

Usage Notes

How to Use Several Correctly

  • Determiner: place several directly before a plural countable noun — "several questions", "several minutes".
  • Pronoun: use several alone (without a noun) when the noun is already understood — "I invited many guests, but several cancelled."
  • Several of: when a definite group is already specified, use several of + determiner + noun/pronoun — "several of the books", "several of us". Never omit the determiner: several of books is wrong.
  • Quantity: the implied number is roughly three to seven. For larger quantities use many; for two or three use a couple of or a few.
  • Register: several is slightly more formal than a few and suits both written and spoken English. In informal speech, a few is often preferred.
  • Uncountable nouns: several cannot precede uncountable nouns. Use some or a great deal of instead.

Common Mistakes

Watch Out For

Several of students failed the exam.

Several of the students failed the exam. (use a determiner after "several of")

She gave me several informations about the course.

She gave me several pieces of information about the course. (several cannot modify uncountable nouns)

I have several homeworks to finish tonight.

I have several pieces of homework to finish tonight. (homework is uncountable; countable alternative: "several assignments")

Related Words

many much more most both enough little a few various numerous

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Frequently Asked Questions about “several”

What does several mean in English?
Several means more than two but not very many — an indefinite moderate number, typically between three and seven. As a determiner it modifies a plural noun: 'several students'. As a pronoun it stands alone: 'Several were absent.' It implies a notable but not large quantity.
Is several a determiner or a pronoun?
Several can function as both. As a determiner it comes before a plural noun: 'She made several attempts.' As a pronoun it replaces a noun and stands alone: 'I invited ten people but several didn't come.' Both uses are standard British English.
What is the difference between several and a few?
Both mean a small number, but several suggests a slightly larger quantity than a few. 'A few' often implies just two or three and can carry a hint of disappointment, while 'several' suggests three to seven and is more neutral. In practice the boundary is blurred, so context matters.
What is the difference between several and many?
Several suggests a moderate, somewhat limited number — roughly three to seven. Many suggests a large, possibly uncountable number. Use several when you want to indicate a notable but not overwhelming quantity: 'several mistakes' vs 'many mistakes' (a much larger number).
Can several be used with uncountable nouns?
No. Several is used only with countable plural nouns: 'several books', 'several times', 'several people'. It cannot precede uncountable nouns. You cannot say 'several water' or 'several information'. Use 'some' or 'a great deal of' with uncountable nouns instead.
What does several mean in legal English?
In formal legal language, several means separate or individual — as in 'joint and several liability', where each party is responsible both collectively and individually. This meaning is quite different from the everyday sense of 'more than two'. It comes from the original Latin root via Old French 'seperalis'.
What is the origin of the word several?
Several comes from Anglo-French 'severel' and Medieval Latin 'separalis', from Latin 'separ' meaning separate. It entered English in the 15th century with the meaning of 'separate' or 'distinct'. The modern meaning of 'more than two but not many' developed by the 16th century.
How do you use several in a sentence?
Place several directly before a plural countable noun: 'She visited several countries.' As a pronoun, use it without a noun: 'Several of the students passed.' You can intensify it slightly with 'quite': 'quite several times', though 'quite a few' is more common in spoken British English.
What is the difference between several of and several?
'Several' directly precedes a noun: 'several books'. 'Several of' precedes a determiner (the, my, those, etc.) followed by a noun or pronoun: 'several of the books', 'several of them'. You cannot say 'several of books' — the determiner is required between 'several of' and the noun.
How can I practise using several in English?
Try LexFizz's Complete the Sentence exercise to practise several in context alongside similar determiners (a few, many, some). The Flash Cards tool is also useful for testing quantifier vocabulary. Reading intermediate-level English texts is an excellent way to see several used naturally in a range of contexts.