Traditionally, the word couple has been used as a noun meaning “two things.” As a noun, it requires the use of the preposition of to link it to another noun:
- I only have a couple of dollars.
- It will take a couple of hours to get this done.
Sometimes writers forget that little preposition, and use couple as an adjective, such as in “I tried a couple times to reach her.”
Bryan Garner, in his American usage book, says, “Using couple as an adjective directly before the noun is unidiomatic and awkward.” Even though many people leave out of, it’s not something a writer should do unless it’s deliberate and in character in fiction. Continue Reading…
