Considering the confusion it creates, we should know.
Couple vs few. An official sky cover classification for aviation weather observations, descriptive. A couple of cookies is very concrete: Adding the article removes the emphasis— a few means.
When used as determiners, couple means two or a few, a small number of, whereas few means an indefinite, but usually small, number of. Web a couple vs a few. Web in this video, you’ll learn when to use a few and when to use a couple.
A few means three or little. Web there is a lot of confusion while using the words “couple” and “few” in sentences because the meaning of these two words. Noaa definition of the term few clouds:
In its strictest sense, a couple is used to refer to two people or things. Web a few hours is more vague; A few means a small number.
Without the article “a,” few emphasizes a small number of something. However, it’s often used interchangeably with a few to refer to a small but nonspecific. Web few is a quantifier used with plural countable nouns.
Web so where does several factor into the a few vs. (“i have fewer than you”/”they are few and far between”) several, according to its dictionary definition means “more than two. Couple is used to refer to two things, but is also often used for a small number greater than two.