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kaavilela
26 Dec 2017

  • Portuguese (Brazil)
  • English (US)
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Question about English (US)

What is the difference between little and small ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

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enterjournalism
26 Dec 2017

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  • English (US)
  • Indonesian
  • Simplified Chinese (China)

When you want to denoting size, there's only a little difference between those two. For example: " I have a small box" is similar with "I have a little box. "

But the most significant difference between the two comes into play when you're describing quantity. "little" only can be used to describe quantities. For example:
1. Please add a little sugar in my tea.
2. I have little experience in teaching.

Little can also be used to refer to something that is small in size, amount, or degree, but it is also used as affectionate way. When somebody says "my little puppy", that doesn't mean the puppy is small.
When it is used for people, little could also mean younger, as in "my little sister" or "my little girl. "

Hope this helps 😊

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APoeticBookworm
26 Dec 2017

  • English (US)

Not much. You can use them both. Small may be for an amount and little could be for size/height. Ex:
A small amount of cookies
A little girl

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dede91403
26 Dec 2017

  • English (US)

No difference. But there are cases where one makes more sense than the other. For example, clothes sizes are small, medium, large, extra large. You would never say "size little."

Little can also be part of an adjective: "A little-known fact is that George Washington did NOT wear wooden false teeth, contrary to popular belief."

Little is used as an adverb: "I am a little surprised that you forgot our appointment."



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enterjournalism
26 Dec 2017

  • English (US)
  • Indonesian
  • Simplified Chinese (China)

When you want to denoting size, there's only a little difference between those two. For example: " I have a small box" is similar with "I have a little box. "

But the most significant difference between the two comes into play when you're describing quantity. "little" only can be used to describe quantities. For example:
1. Please add a little sugar in my tea.
2. I have little experience in teaching.

Little can also be used to refer to something that is small in size, amount, or degree, but it is also used as affectionate way. When somebody says "my little puppy", that doesn't mean the puppy is small.
When it is used for people, little could also mean younger, as in "my little sister" or "my little girl. "

Hope this helps 😊

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oldgeezer
26 Dec 2017

  • English (US)
  • English (UK)
Basically, they mean the same thing, but are sometimes used differently. "Little" can be used as an adjective, a determiner, or an adverb. "Small" can be used as an adjective, an adverb, or a noun. Here are some examples of "little" and "small" as adjectives. "not large" - a small (or little) house/town/car/man - A much smaller ("littler" would sound unnatural) number of students passed than I had expected. - They're having a relatively small wedding. ("Small wedding" is usual. Again "little wedding" would sound unnatural.) - That dress is too small (or little) for you. - ‘I don't agree,’ he said in a small (= quiet) voice. collocations - This is too big—have you got a small one? (Clothing sizes are described as small, medium, or large; not little.) - the small intestine (No one says "the little intestine".) "young" - They have three small children. - We travelled around a lot when I was small. - As a small boy he had spent most of his time with his grandparents. - a little boy/girl - my little brother/sister (= younger brother/sister) - I lived in America when I was little. "not important" - I made only a few small (or little) changes to the report. - She noticed several small (or little) errors in his work. - Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail. ("Littlest" is far less common.) - It was no small achievement getting her to agree to the deal. ("No small achievement" is common. I've never heard anyone say "no little achievement".) - Don’t worry. It’s only a small problem. business - a small farmer (This means "a man on a small farm", not "a small or little man on a farm".) - The government is planning to give more help to small businesses. letters - Should I write ‘god’ with a small ‘g’ or a capital? (I have heard people say "a little 'g' ", but "a small 'g' " is much more common.) - She's a socialist with a small ‘s’ (= she has socialist ideas but is not a member of a socialist party). "not much" - The government has small (or little) cause for optimism. - They have small (or little) hope of succeeding. "not big; small, smaller than others" - a little (or small) house - a little (or small) group of tourists - a little old lady - the classic little black dress - ‘Which do you want?’ ‘I'll take the little one.’ - She gave a little laugh. - We should manage, with a little bit of luck. - Here's a little something (= a small present) for your birthday. used in a patronizing way - The poor little thing! It's lost its mother. - What a nasty little man! - She's a good little worker. - He's become quite the little gentleman. a short distance or time - A little (or short) while later the phone rang. - Shall we walk a little way? "not important, not serious" - I can't remember every little detail. - You soon get used to the little difficulties.

Basically, they mean the same thing, but are sometimes used differently.

"Little" can be used as an adjective, a determiner, or an adverb.
"Small" can be used as an adjective, an adverb, or a noun.

Here are some examples of "little" and "small" as adjectives.

"not large"
- a small (or little) house/town/car/man
- A much smaller ("littler" would sound unnatural) number of students passed than I had expected.
- They're having a relatively small wedding. ("Small wedding" is usual. Again "little wedding" would sound unnatural.)
- That dress is too small (or little) for you.
- ‘I don't agree,’ he said in a small (= quiet) voice.

collocations
- This is too big—have you got a small one? (Clothing sizes are described as small, medium, or large; not little.)
- the small intestine (No one says "the little intestine".)

"young"
- They have three small children.
- We travelled around a lot when I was small.
- As a small boy he had spent most of his time with his grandparents.
- a little boy/girl
- my little brother/sister (= younger brother/sister)
- I lived in America when I was little.

"not important"
- I made only a few small (or little) changes to the report.
- She noticed several small (or little) errors in his work.
- Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail. ("Littlest" is far less common.)
- It was no small achievement getting her to agree to the deal. ("No small achievement" is common. I've never heard anyone say "no little achievement".)
- Don’t worry. It’s only a small problem.

business
- a small farmer (This means "a man on a small farm", not "a small or little man on a farm".)
- The government is planning to give more help to small businesses.

letters
- Should I write ‘god’ with a small ‘g’ or a capital? (I have heard people say "a little 'g' ", but "a small 'g' " is much more common.)
- She's a socialist with a small ‘s’ (= she has socialist ideas but is not a member of a socialist party).

"not much"
- The government has small (or little) cause for optimism.
- They have small (or little) hope of succeeding.

"not big; small, smaller than others"
- a little (or small) house
- a little (or small) group of tourists
- a little old lady
- the classic little black dress
- ‘Which do you want?’ ‘I'll take the little one.’
- She gave a little laugh.
- We should manage, with a little bit of luck.
- Here's a little something (= a small present) for your birthday.

used in a patronizing way
- The poor little thing! It's lost its mother.
- What a nasty little man!
- She's a good little worker.
- He's become quite the little gentleman.

a short distance or time
- A little (or short) while later the phone rang.
- Shall we walk a little way?

"not important, not serious"
- I can't remember every little detail.
- You soon get used to the little difficulties.

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