Hello there. I just don’t believe it. You haven’t changed a bit since we last met.
Correct answer: (a) bit
Your answer was: [color=red]incorrect
Hello there. I just don’t believe it. You haven’t changed a little since we last met.
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why not: a little?
please the difference between: a little and a bit ?
thanx
I agree that in this particular negative sentence ‘a bit’ suggests even less than a little. It means that the speaker sees not the slightest difference in the appearance of the other person.
Looking at how ‘a little’ and ‘little’ are used might also help explain why ‘a little’ doesn’t work in the test sentence.
We use ‘a little’ and ‘little’ in different ways. You might say that ‘a little’ has a more positive feel to it, whereas ‘little’ has a more negative feel to it. Thus, ‘a little’ tends to sound like more than ‘little’ does – even though in reality the amounts might actually be the same.
Let’s imagine two people: Person #1 has a total of $20 in his wallet, and person #2 has a total of $20 dollars in his bank account. Now compare the following two sentences:
I have a little money. = I have some money.
I have little money. = I do not have much money.
Perhaps person 1 wants to go out to dinner with friends. He thinks that he has enough money to pay for his own dinner. So, he views his $20 in a positive way (‘a little money’).
In contrast, if person 2 has only $20 in his bank account, he is probably worried about how he is going to pay all his bills. Person 2 thinks that he does not have enough money. So, he views his $20 in a negative way (‘little money’).
Note also that neither sentence 1 nor sentence 2 used ‘not’ with the verb. The verb was not negated in sentence 2 even though it presents a negative idea. Thus, we generally do not use either ‘not little’ or ‘not a little’.
On the other hand, it IS possible to say 'not a bit' (i.e. the verb is negated). That means 'not at all'. It is also possible to say 'a bit' (i.e. without negating the verb). That means 'some' or 'a little bit'.
Going back to the test sentence, if you wanted to use 'a little', you would have to add something to the sentence in order for it to work with the negated verb. For example, you could say this:
- [i]You haven't changed [b]even[/b] a little since we last met. [/i]
That would then have the same meaning as 'You haven't changed a bit since we last met' -- and it means there has been no change at all.
Hope that helps.
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[i][size=75]"Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking." ~ Albert Einstein [/size][/i]
In this context, a little’ doesn’t work at all, so I don’t see how someone can logically say that in this particular sentence it suggests even less than a little.
[color=blue]I don’t think the fact that “a little” is not a suitable answer means that one can’t compare the amounts of “a little” and “a bit”.
Also, “a bit” is less than “a little” when referring to the amount of many things.
Note Alan’s words “in this particular negative sentence” - you cannot compare the amounts in this sentence.
I still disagree that ‘a bit’ is necessarily less than ‘a little’ when referring to the amount of something. I don’t see how you can make a comparative difference between:
Just a bit of…
and
Just a little…
To me, apart from the formality, I see no discernible difference between
Just a little sugar, please.
Just a bit of sugar, please.
or
It’s raining a little.
It’s raining a bit.
and in fact, in this context:
We had a little rain this morning.
We had a bit of rain this morning.
I would be more likely to view ‘a little’ as less than ‘a bit’ (I would see it as being more akin to ‘quite a bit’).
So it seems that it would be best to avoid making a general statement or assumption that ‘a bit’ is less than ‘a little’.
The difference will vary from person to person and sometimes from context to context.
What a strange viewpoint.
As you seem to be admitting that there are differences of opinion in your final sentence, then it should be obvious that a general assertion of the type made in message #2 cannot be appropriate.
What a poor argument.
I’m simply putting the words into a context. It’s hardly embellishment. It doesn’t make make them ‘seem more similar’. It shows them for what they are.
Why would you want to confuse a learner by telling them something that is not the case? I pointed out that I didn’t share your view, and I’ve explained why.
Sorry, but I can’t work out what this relates to.
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[color=blue]1) Look directly above my statement. Somehow, the two got separated.
2) We obviously don’t agree, and I hope to have nothing further to say to you on this thread.
My only purpose in disagreeing with you was so that the site’s learners were not given information which could not always be considered to be fact. I’m happy to leave it at this, from the link I provided to the BBC World Service ‘Learning English’ site in message #14.
a little / a bit
A little, a bit and a little bit are often used as adverbs in colloquial British English with little or no difference in meaning. Compare the following: You’re driving too fast. Could you please drive a little (bit) more slowly?
It was a long journey and I was feeling a bit / a little (bit) tired.
Never ever forgotten that!
Some times ago, I was lampooned by a rather grumpy teacher as I said, “I know Nobody.” With a condescending smile he replied, “Everyone should know themselves, you Denglisch mumbling wee creature.”
Now the time’s come to fight back. I haven’t grown up a little bit but I’ve not a little changed.
In no uncertain terms, Real English is more or less all about negatively affirmative mumbo jumbo, at the very least.
Ahoi
Business Idiom in English, Intermediate level