FEW, SMALL AND LITTLE

IN ENGLISH

The word ‘few’ seems to cause most difficulties. It is usually an adjective but it can be a pronoun. Phonetically it is ‘fiu’ (u of universal) so that’s easy.

In English the word ‘few’ must be used precisely. We can only use ‘few’ for countable things. For example:

I have a few coins in my pocket.

He has only a few friends.

There are a few tickets available.

She has a few things to do later.

In accordance with what is said in the lesson

Countable and Uncountable Nouns,

we can never use ‘few’ for things that are uncountable:

He has a few money

I have a few time.

She eats a few soup.

We have a few hunger…….are all very bad English.

We also use the word ‘few’ alone to express a small or non-existent amount. For example:

a) Few people in Jakarta know him.

Compare:

b) A few people in Jakarta know him.

Example a) means that an uncertain small number of people (perhaps none) know him. Example b) means that a certain, but very small number of people, know him.

Remember that ‘quite’ can mean ‘more or less’ or ‘so-so’ AND can also mean ‘exactly’. So ‘quite a few’ means almost the opposite of ‘a few’ – it means a lot, more than you would expect.

She has quite a few friends.

They have quite a few problems.

There are quite a few houses on this road.

Few can also be used alone as a pronoun:

The few who have been to the moon.

The few who can read his writing.

‘Small’ and ‘little’ are appropriate for nouns that are countable and uncountable. But their use is not exactly the same:

SMALL

The Oxford Dictionary of English says that ‘small’ is an adjective (only): it means ‘of a size that is less than normal or usual; not great in amount, number, strength or power; young.’

LITTLE

The same dictionary says that ‘little’ is an adjective and also a pronoun: it means ‘small in size, amount or degree; young. Accordingly, there is hardly any difference between these two words.

There is no real difference between:

A small country and

A little country

A small boy and

A little boy

A small problem and

A little problem

‘Small’ tends to be used for measurements, when the physical size of a thing (or person) is emphasized.

Also, ‘small’ is an adjective only: it describes nouns and cannot stand alone as a pronoun. ‘Little’ is also a pronoun and therefore it can stand alone.

In referring to amounts or quantities, if we use the word ‘small’ we must express the word ‘amount’ or ‘quantity’, whereas we can use the word ‘little’ as a pronoun, without mentioning the amount. For example:

There was a small amount of dirt in the gasoline.

There was a little dirt in the gasoline.

She likes a small amount of sugar in her coffee.

She likes a little sugar in her coffee.

There was a small amount of poison in the body.

There was a little poison in the body.

In these examples ‘small’ cannot be used alone because it is not a pronoun. Other examples:

Question: Are you tired?

Answer. Yes, I am a little

Question: Is he angry?

Answer: Yes, he is a little.

There are at least two areas where a difference in use can be seen:

1. When referring to relatives we use ‘little’ in the sense of ‘young’ or 'younger':

Your little sister

My little brother

Our little cousin.

If you use the word ‘small’ in these cases (and in any references to people) you mean ‘of low height, short, small in stature’.

2. When referring to periods of time we use ‘little’ and not ‘small’:

A little while

A little rest

A little break

A little vacation

A little delay.

However, in these examples of periods of time we would probably use the word ‘short’.

Because the differences between ‘small’ and ‘little’ are so slight, the best advice might be to use the word ‘little’. Phonetically it is litel (lirel in American English) both with i of Liverpool) and use ‘small’ only for measurements.