adverb
to a small degree; somewhat
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◊ 'little' used as an adjective
Little is usually used as an adjective. You use it to talk about the size of something.
...a little table with a glass top.
◊ 'a little' used as an adverb
A little is usually used as an adverb. You use it after a verb, or in front of an adjective or another adverb. It means `to a small extent or degree'.
The economy is expected to slow down a little.
Trading is thought to have been a little disappointing.
The local football team is doing a little better.
The celebrations began a little earlier than expected.
Note that you do not use a little in front of an adjective when the adjective comes in front of a noun.
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Several other words and expressions can be used to express degree. For a graded list, see section on
degree in entry at ↑
Adverbials. See also section on
submodifiers in entry at ↑
Adverbs.
◊ used in front of nouns
Little and
a little are also used in front of nouns to talk about quantities. When they are used like this, they do not have the same meaning.
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You use
a little simply to indicate that you are talking about a small quantity or amount of something. When you use
little without `a', you are emphasizing that there is only a small quantity or amount of something.
So, for example, if you say `I have
a little money', you are simply saying that you have some money. However, if you say `I have
little money', you mean that you do not have enough money.
I had made a little progress.
It is clear that little progress was made.
He started a new business with a little help from his friends.
Having an independent allowance will be little help.
◊ used as pronouns
Little and
a little can be used in similar ways as pronouns.
Beat in the eggs, a little at a time.
◊ 'not much'
In conversation, people do not usually use
little without `a'. Instead they use
not much. For example, instead of saying `I have little money', they say `I
haven't got much money' or `I
don't have much money'.
I haven't got much appetite.
You haven't got much to say to me, have you?
We probably don't have much time.
You don't have much contact with other people.
You do not use
little or
a little when you are talking about a small number of people or things. You do not say, for example, `She has a little hens'. You say `She has
a few hens'. Similarly, you do not say `Little people attended his lectures'. You say `
Few people attended his lectures', or `
Not many people attended his lectures'. See entry at ↑
few - a few.
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a little
1 : not much but some
I don't want much: I want just a little bit/piece.
There's a little brown sugar in these cookies.
I have a little money, so I may be able to lend you some.
They offered him a little something to drink before dinner. [=they offered him something to drink]
2 : not much but somewhat or slightly
His house is down the street a little further.
His house is down the street a little. = It's a little down the street.
I'm feeling a little better today.
Repairs will begin in a little [=slightly] more than a month.
He was not a little annoyed [=he was very annoyed] at the interruption.
3 : for a brief time
Please stay here with me a little.
We can walk a little and then catch a cab.
4 : a small amount or quantity
There is only a very little at stake here.
They don't understand much but they do understand a little.
There's still some money in the bank, but only a very little.
They understand more than a little of what is going on. [=they understand much of what is going on]
Don't use too much of this. A little goes a long way. [=a small amount will be enough]
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