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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Few minutes and few moments?

Hi. I think we can't say "few minutes" after the word "after."

After few minutes, we went shopping.

But I don't know why we can't say this to say they didn't spend much time shopping (if we can't say this).

We spent few minutes shopping.

I think we can't say this.

After few moments, he went shopping.

But I don't know why we can't say this to indicate having not spend much time (if we can't say this).

He spent few moments of his day shopping
  

Top answer

e. 'few moments/minutes' with no article) sounds exceedingly odd-- the sentences you have chosen at least are quite unnatural.

— Mister Micawber

  • e.
  • 'few moments/minutes' with no article) sounds exceedingly odd-- the sentences you have chosen at least are quite unnatural.
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6 Answers
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We are equally able to use 'moments' and 'minutes' in those sentences, but using either in the negative sense (i.e. 'few moments/minutes' with no article) sounds exceedingly odd-- the sentences you have chosen at least are quite unnatural.
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According to my ear, you can skip the article when your meaning is "few rather than many." (He is a man of few words.)

When you mean "a small number of," then you need the article. (The superintendent will now say a few words.)

My ear accepts "He spent few moments of his day shopping," and to a lesser degree, "We spent few minutes shopping."

Another way t
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A, wouldn't you be more likely to say "He spent little time" than "He spent few moments"?
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Hi, GG.

<< A, wouldn't you be more likely to say "He spent little time" than "He spent few moments"? >>

In most contexts, I agree.

If, for some reason, I want the countable sense, I might use "moments."

Rgdz, A.
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I think the difference is that "few" is almost negative (too little), and "a few" is more positive, it is still a less amount of something, but is something, on the contrary "few" alone is almost nothing.

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First, it's a common mistake by non-native English speakers to not understand the difference between "few" and "a few". "Few" means "not very many", where as "a few" means "some". The former is limiting: it implies "less than you'd expect". For example:

Few people on our team understand the situation.

The above means that not very many people understand the situation. It

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