a likely small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a likely small" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to describe something that is probably small, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "In this situation, a likely small outcome could be expected."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

A clinical trial examining the trade-off of secondary prevention of VTE with mortality is not feasible, owing to the large sample size needed to detect a likely small mortality difference between treatments.

British Medical Journal

In contrast, there was a likely small decrease in training load in the majority of players who also showed an increased heart rate but remained healthy (n=23 players, substantially decreased in 15, increased in 7 and no change in 1).

British Journal of Sports Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

CoFoundersLab has now agreed to acquire the service for an undisclosed (but likely small) sum.

TechCrunch

This might be an indication for a likely, albeit small, but different structural arrangement between complexes of TSHR/Gs and TSHR/Gq to each other.

Plosone

As a result, VCs will continue to play a significant, but most likely smaller, role in channeling capital to disruptive start-ups.

Harvard Business Review

This is a tiny difference, most likely smaller than the accuracy of our measurement tools.

WikiHow

The object on the right seated on legs alongside a box is likely a small pitcher, possibly a reliquary.

Wikipedia

Reduced habitat variability is not a likely explanation for the smaller genomes of thermophiles.

Genome Biology and Evolution

For NPA a contributing factor was likely a small between-subject variation in the measurement values since the within-subject variation was minor (CV~5%).

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Developed by Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis at the University of Southern California, the system is estimated to complete a house in under 24 hours (likely a small house, not a mansion).

Huffington Post

The number of ground troops needed for a such a rescue would likely be small.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and grammatical correctness, rephrase "a likely small" as "likely to be small" or "probably small". This ensures your writing is easily understood and avoids grammatical errors.

Common error

Avoid placing "likely" directly before an adjective describing size. Instead, use it to modify the verb "to be" or use "probably" directly before the adjective, for example, 'likely to be small' or 'probably small'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a likely small" functions as an adjectival phrase attempting to describe something as both probable and small. However, it's grammatically incorrect and should be rephrased. Ludwig AI confirms this grammatical issue.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a likely small" is grammatically incorrect and has limited usage. Ludwig AI points out its grammatical issues, advising against its use. While the intent is to describe something as both probable and small, it's best to rephrase it as "likely to be small" or "probably small". Although found in both scientific and news contexts, its rarity suggests that writers should opt for clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives to enhance communication and maintain credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Probably small

Uses "probably" instead of "likely", creating a simpler and more direct expression of likelihood.

Likely to be small

Rephrases using "likely to be" followed by "small", correcting the grammatical structure.

A probably minor

Substitutes "minor" for "small", maintaining the sense of insignificance but using a different adjective.

A possibly small

Replaces "likely" with "possibly", indicating a weaker degree of probability.

Presumably small

Employs "presumably" to suggest an assumption based on evidence, rather than a direct likelihood.

A believably small

Emphasizes the credibility of the small size rather than just its likelihood.

A predictably small

Suggests that the small size was expected or foreseeable.

A reasonably small

Indicates that the size is small to a reasonable extent or degree.

A somewhat small

Uses "somewhat" to moderate the degree of smallness.

A relatively small

Emphasizes that the size is small in comparison to something else.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the concept of something being "a likely small" size in a sentence?

Instead of "a likely small", use "likely to be small" or "probably small". For example, "The impact is "likely to be small"" or "The impact is "probably small"".

What's the difference between saying "likely to be small" and "probably small"?

"Likely to be small" and "probably small" are very similar in meaning. "Probably" implies a slightly higher degree of certainty than "likely", but they are often interchangeable. Choose the one that fits the tone and flow of your writing better.

Is "a likely small" grammatically correct?

No, "a likely small" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "likely to be small" or "probably small". Ludwig AI identifies "a likely small" as grammatically incorrect.

What are some alternatives to "a likely small" that still convey a sense of probability and size?

You can use phrases like "possibly small", "presumably small", or "believably small" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. However, remember that "probably small" and "likely to be small" are the most direct and grammatically sound alternatives.