[Grammar] The few or A few

Hi sir,

Please suggest me the correct answer for the below question:

______ short poems in the volume show signs of genius. (A few/ The few)
According to me it should be 'The few' as what ever the short poem is there in the volume, so it should be 'the few'.
But the answer is 'A few'. if the answer i.e. 'A few' is correct, please explain. Thanks in advance.

N.B. Question is taken from Wren & Martin.

If there are not many poems in the volume and they all show signs of genius, then it's "the few". If there are more than a few, and only some show signs of genius, then it's "a few".

5jj said:

If there are not many short poems in the volume and they all show signs of genius, then it's "the few". If there are more than a few, and only some show signs of genius, then it's "a few".

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I'd add the above amendment for clarity. There may be many long poems in the volume, but it's only the short poems which are in question.

Raymott said:

I'd add the above amendment for clarity. There may be many long poems in the volume, but it's only the short poems which are in question.

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I agree. I should have said that.

enggeek said:

Hi sir,

Please suggest [STRIKE]me[/STRIKE] the correct answer for the below question:

______ short poems in the volume show signs of genius. (A few/ The few)
According to me it should be 'The few' as what ever the short poem is there in the volume, so it should be 'the few'.
But the answer is 'A few'. if the answer i.e. 'A few' is correct, please explain. Thanks in advance.

N.B. Question is taken from Wren & Martin.

Click to expand...

Remember that "Please suggest me" is not correct. You can say:

- Please suggest an answer. (This is the most common.)
- Please suggest an answer to me.
- Please suggest an answer for me.

Raymott said:

I'd add the above amendment for clarity. There may be many long poems in the volume, but it's only the short poems which are in question.

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That means, if all the short poems in the volume are sign of genius then we should use "The few" else "A few".

So in similar fashion for the question " _____ Americans have their offices in mumbai." if the all the Americans (few) who have office, are in mumbai then we can say "The Few" else "A few". is the conclusion correct?

Thanks in advance.

enggeek said:

That means, if all the short poems in the volume are sign of genius then we should use "The few" else "A few".

So in similar fashion for the question " _____ Americans have their offices in mumbai." if the all the Americans (few) who have office, are in mumbai then we can say "The Few" else "A few". is the conclusion correct?

Thanks in advance.​

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No.

Few Americans have their offices in Mumbai = Not very many Americans have their offices in Mumbai.

A few Americans have their offices in Mumbai = Not very many Americans have their offices in Mumbai.

The few Americans have their offices in Mumbai - this only makes sense if it is preceded by some other information involving those same "few Americans". For example, "There are a million Australians, half a million New Zealanders but only four Americans living in India. The Australians and New Zealanders have their offices in Chennai. The few Americans have their offices in Mumbai."