Diagramming the word few or a few Forum

[timmydoeslsat]

I am concerned with how to properly diagram a phrase with few and a phrase with a few.

Few dogs bark loudly

Dogs SOME bark loudly........or

Dogs MOST ~bark loudly

How would you guys advocate diagramming statements with few or a few in them?

[gaud]

I am concerned with how to properly diagram a phrase with few and a phrase with a few.

Few dogs bark loudly

Dogs SOME bark loudly........or

Dogs MOST ~bark loudly

How would you guys advocate diagramming statements with few or a few in them?

I would go with 'some' just because you cannot be sure that 'few' means 'most'.

to be more specific, I am pretty sure that 'most' means MORE than half.... while 'some' just means at least one. at least one leaves the possibility for 'most'

[suspicious android]

I am concerned with how to properly diagram a phrase with few and a phrase with a few.

Few dogs bark loudly

Dogs SOME bark loudly........or

Dogs MOST ~bark loudly

How would you guys advocate diagramming statements with few or a few in them?

"a few" is functionally equivalent to "some", except that "a few" implies a plural amount more than two, whereas "some" sometimes refers to an individual item.

"few" is actually a slightly different case, although this is so minor as almost not to be worth worrying about on the LSAT. It's a comparative term, not necessarily implying the existance of any individuals in the group. "Few people will ever understand the mysteries of life" doesn't actually mean anyone will understand, whereas "some people will understand the mysteries of life" means at least one person will. However, I don't think this is something to really worry about, the important thing is that it's definitely not the same as "most", use it interchangeably with "some" and you should be fine.

[timmydoeslsat]

Thank you so much SA.

How would you personally diagram few? I am saying that most are not.

Few men are gracious

Men MOST ~gracious



Few men will ever be gracious

Men MOST ~gracious



Do you see those diagrams as correct? Does few imply not most?

[jamesireland]

Thank you so much SA.

How would you personally diagram few? I am saying that most are not.

Few men are gracious

Men MOST ~gracious



Few men will ever be gracious

Men MOST ~gracious



Do you see those diagrams as correct? Does few imply not most?

I'm not sure this would ever come up on the LSAT, or that if it did it would matter at all, but I would say that 'few' could be diagramed as 'MOST NOT'. 'A few' on the other hand would certainly have to be 'SOME'.

[gaud]

Thank you so much SA.

How would you personally diagram few? I am saying that most are not.

Few men are gracious

Men MOST ~gracious



Few men will ever be gracious

Men MOST ~gracious



Do you see those diagrams as correct? Does few imply not most?

I'm not sure this would ever come up on the LSAT, or that if it did it would matter at all, but I would say that 'few' could be diagramed as 'MOST NOT'. 'A few' on the other hand would certainly have to be 'SOME'.

'few' definitely comes up on the LSAT on a parallel reasoning question ... I took a PT 3 days ago with it on it, I believe it was PT 57