Little and a little follow the same pattern as few and a few, just for things you can't count instead of things you can.
Little means not much, and it sounds like a small, disappointing amount.
little full definition →
A little means some, a small amount, without sounding negative.
a little full definition →
| little | a little | |
|---|---|---|
| Feeling | Negative, almost none | Neutral or positive, some |
| Used with | Uncountable nouns: time, hope, money | Uncountable nouns: time, hope, money |
| Simple test | "little time" sounds worrying | "a little time" sounds okay |
Little sounds negative, almost none. A little sounds fine, just a small amount. Same pattern as few and a few, just for things you cannot count.
Save both words to GoVocab and review them until they stick.
Download on the App Store