In terms of your first two examples, which are really related to this concept of how you should use ‘a few’ or simply ‘few’: –

If you say

“I have a few problems”

it is different in meaning to saying

“I have few problems”

in the first you could read it as “I have some problems”

in the second emphasis is on the ‘few’ so you could read it as “I only have a few problems”. Which is a feature worth feeling good about, or simply having “a few problems” which is really not such an esteemed position to be in.

When you ignore the ‘a’ you are accentaging the ‘few’ in the sentence.

What is the right way to use ‘the’ few in your question? In English, grammar. What is to be said here when your question, especially the point of reference, is incomplete? Is there anywhere for definite articles in blogs? Or start by looking at this related question:

definite or indefinite article.

/. /.

The few is quite rare, and used only when designating a small number of things or people that have some special distinction

• the few rounds left in their magazines, the few guests who escaped the fire

There’s a big difference between few and a few, however.
Why do our directed quantifiers point in opposite directions?

• a few means ‘a small but still positive number’, while
• few is a negative quantifier, and means ‘fewer than expected, predicted, or wished’

Few governs negative polarity items like ever and produces the following pair:

• Few people never come here in the winter, but not…

because a few isn’t negative and hence can’t trigger ever; as
well as the following pair, which produce opposite results: Thank

• God that few people were hurt!
• Thank heavens for the bad news!

If you don’t enjoy negative versus positive injuries, you’re thanking God for them.

Negatives are tricky. Much trickier than most people expect.

The few is quite rare, and used only when designating a small number of things or people that have some special distinction

• the few rounds left in their magazines, the few guests who escaped the fire

There’s a big difference between few and a few, however.
Why do our directed quantifiers point in opposite directions?

• a few means ‘a small but still positive number’, while
• few is a negative quantifier, and means ‘fewer than expected, predicted, or wished’

Few governs negative polarity items like ever and produces the following pair:

• Few people never come here in the winter, but not…

because a few isn’t negative and hence can’t trigger ever; as
well as the following pair, which produce opposite results: Thank

• God that few people were hurt!
• Thank heavens for the bad news!

If you don’t enjoy negative versus positive injuries, you’re thanking God for them.

Negatives are tricky. Much trickier than most people expect.

In terms of your first two examples, which are really related to this concept of how you should use ‘a few’ or simply ‘few’: –

If you say

“I have a few problems”

it is different in meaning to saying

“I have few problems”

in the first you could read it as “I have some problems”

in the second emphasis is on the ‘few’ so you could read it as “I only have a few problems”. Which is a feature worth feeling good about, or simply having “a few problems” which is really not such an esteemed position to be in.

When you ignore the ‘a’ you are accentaging the ‘few’ in the sentence.

What is the right way to use ‘the’ few in your question? In English, grammar. What is to be said here when your question, especially the point of reference, is incomplete? Is there anywhere for definite articles in blogs? Or start by looking at this related question:

definite or indefinite article.

/. /.

In terms of your first two examples, which are really related to this concept of how you should use ‘a few’ or simply ‘few’: –

If you say

“I have a few problems”

it is different in meaning to saying

“I have few problems”

in the first you could read it as “I have some problems”

in the second emphasis is on the ‘few’ so you could read it as “I only have a few problems”. Which is a feature worth feeling good about, or simply having “a few problems” which is really not such an esteemed position to be in.

When you ignore the ‘a’ you are accentaging the ‘few’ in the sentence.

What is the right way to use ‘the’ few in your question? In English, grammar. What is to be said here when your question, especially the point of reference, is incomplete? Is there anywhere for definite articles in blogs? Or start by looking at this related question:

definite or indefinite article.

/. /.

In terms of your first two examples, which are really related to this concept of how you should use ‘a few’ or simply ‘few’: –

If you say

“I have a few problems”

it is different in meaning to saying

“I have few problems”

in the first you could read it as “I have some problems”

in the second emphasis is on the ‘few’ so you could read it as “I only have a few problems”. Which is a feature worth feeling good about, or simply having “a few problems” which is really not such an esteemed position to be in.

When you ignore the ‘a’ you are accentaging the ‘few’ in the sentence.

What is the right way to use ‘the’ few in your question? In English, grammar. What is to be said here when your question, especially the point of reference, is incomplete? Is there anywhere for definite articles in blogs? Or start by looking at this related question:

definite or indefinite article.

/. /.

In terms of your first two examples, which are really related to this concept of how you should use ‘a few’ or simply ‘few’: –

If you say

“I have a few problems”

it is different in meaning to saying

“I have few problems”

in the first you could read it as “I have some problems”

in the second emphasis is on the ‘few’ so you could read it as “I only have a few problems”. Which is a feature worth feeling good about, or simply having “a few problems” which is really not such an esteemed position to be in.

When you ignore the ‘a’ you are accentaging the ‘few’ in the sentence.

What is the right way to use ‘the’ few in your question? In English, grammar. What is to be said here when your question, especially the point of reference, is incomplete? Is there anywhere for definite articles in blogs? Or start by looking at this related question:

definite or indefinite article.

/. /.