| No | Pattern | Freq | Relations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [noun] [was/were] [verb] a few years | 8 |
|
| 2 | [noun sg] [was/were] [verb] a few years | 6 |
|
| 3 | [was/were] [verb] [adv] a few years | 9 |
|
| 4 | [was/were] [verb] [prep] a few years | 8 |
|
| 5 | [was/were] [verb] [prep] a few years | 8 |
|
| 6 | [was/were] [verb] [adv prt] a few years | 6 |
|
| 7 | [was/were] [verb] a few years [adv] | 16 |
|
| 8 | [was/were] [verb] a few years [adv] | 16 |
|
| 9 | [was/were] [verb] a few years ago | 12 |
|
| 10 | [was/were] [verb] a few years ago | 12 |
|
