a bit of intelligence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a bit of intelligence" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a small amount of intelligence or cleverness in a light-hearted or informal context. Example: "If only he had a bit of intelligence, he would have realized the mistake he made."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Clothes that imply a bit of intelligence.

The New York Times - Magazine

She'd persuaded him to do a bit of intelligence gathering with her.

Harvard Business Review

In the folksiest of exchanges, the young man casually mentioned the return from prison of a local marijuana grower, a bit of intelligence the sheriff already knew.

The New York Times

Then on the ride back toward the American base, one of the tribal leaders offered a bit of intelligence regarding Shiite militants who he said met regularly in an open field.

The New York Times

"I think it is good for the game to have a bit of niggle but there is a line you can't cross and you've just got to do it with a bit of intelligence".

The Guardian - Sport

The product marketing team does all the product marketing, a bit of intelligence, etcetera.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Indeed, in some cases a bit of intelligence-gathering seems sensible, such as when the NSA snooped on a handful of UN delegations to find out their positions prior to a vote on sanctions against Iran.

The Economist

John Kerry was making his "beyond a reasonable doubt" case against Syria's Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday when he gave lawmakers a bit of faulty intelligence.

The Washington Post

And the hostage-takers have been basically going bananas: plotting against each other, going and blowing up shipping containers, quickly going and signing for a body at the morgue, hiding/finding/hacking each others' USB drives, having a quick shag, contracting out a bit of video intelligence, and chatting up their charges.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Using a bit of artificial intelligence on the backend, Indigo Fair can recommend merchandise that matches a store's motif.

TechCrunch

It's definitely an easy way to share content from your phone (assuming you have a giant wall of touch-enabled screens in your house) and with a bit of added intelligence, you could even use it to just share text or images you want to collaborate on, too, with the text editor or layout engine running on the machine that powers the display.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a bit of intelligence" when you want to subtly suggest someone could have been smarter or more informed in a situation. It's less harsh than saying they were unintelligent.

Common error

Avoid using "a bit of intelligence" in formal reports or academic papers. It's generally too informal and can undermine the seriousness of your argument. Instead, opt for more neutral phrasing like "some insight" or "moderate understanding".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a bit of intelligence" functions as a noun phrase, often used to attribute a minimal or modest amount of intellect or understanding. Ludwig examples show its application in contexts ranging from politics to general observations on human behavior.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a bit of intelligence" is a grammatically sound phrase used to imply a small amount of understanding or smartness. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and highlights its occurrence in various contexts, particularly in news and media. While versatile, it's generally more appropriate for informal settings than formal academic writing. When a slightly higher level of intellect is needed, consider using alternatives like "some insight" or "a touch of cleverness".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a bit of wisdom

Replaces intelligence with wisdom, focusing on knowledge gained over time.

a bit of spy

Replaces intelligence with spy, focusing on gathering secret information.

a bit of brilliance

Substitutes intelligence with brilliance, emphasizing exceptional talent.

a bit of info

Replaces intelligence with info, focusing on small amount of facts.

a bit of information

Substitutes intelligence with information, emphasizing factual knowledge.

a bit of secret

Substitutes intelligence with secret, emphasizing hidden or confidential facts.

a bit of insight

Replaces intelligence with insight, highlighting deep understanding.

a degree of intelligence

Changes the structure to "a degree of", which sounds more formal.

a bit of wit

Replaces intelligence with wit, focusing on humor and cleverness.

a bit of cleverness

Substitutes intelligence with cleverness, emphasizing ingenuity.

FAQs

How can I use "a bit of intelligence" in a sentence?

You can use "a bit of intelligence" to imply a small amount of smartness or awareness. For example, "If he'd shown "a bit of intelligence", he wouldn't have made that mistake."

What are some alternatives to saying "a bit of intelligence"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "a degree of understanding", "some insight", or "a touch of cleverness".

Is it appropriate to use "a bit of intelligence" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "a bit of intelligence" is generally better suited for informal or conversational contexts. Formal writing often requires more precise and less colloquial language. Consider alternatives like "moderate understanding" or "reasonable acumen".

What's the difference between "a bit of intelligence" and "high intelligence"?

"A bit of intelligence" suggests a small or limited amount of intelligence, implying someone is not particularly smart. In contrast, "high intelligence" indicates a significant level of intellect or smartness.