a little and little

Question

Hi, How are they different?He played/ate a little.He played/ate little.He played chess or ate food a little.He played chess or ate food little

Doll · Accepted Answer

If you say "a little", you mean that you can endure with the food you have. But if you say "little", you mean that there is not enough food at all for you to eat maybe some crumbles.

Anyway, let's see some examples:

lI know a little English. I know enough English to manage.

lThere is little money. I can't buy a lot of things for the holiday. I don't have enough money.

lThey know little English. They can't get around very well. They don't know enough English to manage.

Yankee · Answer

Hi Anon

Basically, both 'little' and 'a little' refer to a small amount. However, when you use 'little', you are viewing the small amount negatively, and when you use 'a little' you are viewing the small amount positively.

Let's look at the difference between these two sentences:
1. He ate little.
2. He ate a little.

1. In the first sentence, the situation might be that he is very sick. He was so sick that he hardly ate anything at all. There is a negative sense: Before he got sick, he ate more (i.e. normal amounts of food), but because he was sick, he ate much less.

2. In the second sentence, the situation might be that he had not been able to eat anything for two days, but finally today he managed to eat a small amount. There is a positive sense here: For two days he ate nothing, but today he was able to eat a small amount. So, his appetite and his health are apparently improving. He ate more today than he ate in the previous two days.

In the two sentences above, there may be no difference at all in the actual amount that he ate. The main difference is whether the amount is perceived as negative (1) or positive (2).

Doll · Answer

YankeeIn the two sentences above, there may be no difference at all in the actual amount that he ate. The main difference is whether the amount is perceived as negative (1) or positive (2).

I didn't know this. I thought there is a difference in amount too!

BarbaraPA · Answer

It's the same with "few."

Since moving here, I've made a few friends. (That's good.)

Since moving here, I've made few friends. (That's not good.)

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, Yankee, Doll and GG.

Is there any difference between using the two 'little' and 'a little' adjectivally and as an adverb. I think I understand the positive and negative aspects of the two when used adjectivally. Can we apply the same concept when used as an adverb?

1. As an adjectively (as Doll seems to have done):

He speaks a little English. -- Not well but enough to get by

2. But can we apply the same concept for a case involving its adverbial use?

He plays soccer a little -- Not well but possesses the level of skill enough to get by?? Looking at it positively

Yankee · Answer

Yes.

He slept little.

He slept a little.

CalifJim · Answer

For little and a little, see .
For few and a few, see .
The principles are the same for both.

CJ

a little and little

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