couple of documents vs a couple of documents

Both 'couple of documents' and 'a couple of documents' are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Couple of documents' is more informal and is often used in casual conversations, while 'a couple of documents' is more formal and commonly used in written English.

Last updated: March 23, 2024 • 3075 views

couple of documents

This phrase is correct and commonly used in informal contexts.

This phrase is more informal and is often used in casual conversations to refer to a small number of documents.

Examples:

I need to review a couple of documents before the meeting.

Show examples from the web [+]

So here we have a couple of documents which our cybercriminals had uploaded to a cloud service, kind of like Dropbox or SkyDrive, like many of you might use.
He's been getting cash and fresh travel documents every couple of weeks.
Actually before we get to that we need you to sign a couple documents.
A correspondence which clearly documents the couple's three-year-long relationship and which was seen by Mr Boyd on the night he murdered the Lerners.
the couple produces a legal document recognised as such by a Member State acknowledging their status as non-marital partners,
the couple produces a legal document recognised as such by a Member State, or any competent authority of a Member State, acknowledging their status as non-marital partners,
the couple produces a legal document recognised as such by an EU Member State, or any competent authority of an EU Member State, acknowledging their status as non-marital partners,
I dropped off some documents to Captain Reynolds' a couple of weeks ago.
In order to be able to better convince Charlie to spend the money on investigators to go through the 27,000 documents, I asked the source to get me a couple of pieces of persuasive evidence.
Couple of your buddies killed him.
Pop a couple of these tiles.
Couple of reasons, first Liber8.
The pulse only lasts a couple of microseconds.
Police investigated a couple of times.
Couple of propane tanks fused together.
Couple of fights, nothing unusual.
A couple of more oxygen tanks.
Ellen mentioned a couple of lads.
Couple of rows behind that girl knitting.
Showing a couple of places uptown.

Alternatives:

a few documents
several documents
some documents
a small number of documents
a handful of documents

a couple of documents

This phrase is correct and commonly used in formal written English.

This phrase is more formal and is commonly used in written English to refer to a small number of documents.

Examples:

Please send me a couple of documents for review.

Show examples from the web [+]

So here we have a couple of documents which our cybercriminals had uploaded to a cloud service, kind of like Dropbox or SkyDrive, like many of you might use.
Actually before we get to that we need you to sign a couple documents.
He's been getting cash and fresh travel documents every couple of weeks.
I dropped off some documents to Captain Reynolds' a couple of weeks ago.
A correspondence which clearly documents the couple's three-year-long relationship and which was seen by Mr Boyd on the night he murdered the Lerners.
Pop a couple of these tiles.
The pulse only lasts a couple of microseconds.
Police investigated a couple of times.
A couple of more oxygen tanks.
Ellen mentioned a couple of lads.
Showing a couple of places uptown.
Transferred from Summerville a couple of days ago.
- There are a couple of things.
I had a couple of interesting situations where...
Graham converted a couple of police stations.
Survived a couple of building collapses.
Procuring software usually takes a couple of years.
- Found a couple of things.
Been a couple of gang-initiation killings.
An incredible development over only a couple of generations.

Alternatives:

a few documents
several documents
some documents
a small number of documents
a handful of documents

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couple of documents vs a couple of documents