a minute

USAGE SUMMARY

"a minute" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a unit of time that is equivalent to 60 seconds, or to ask someone to wait for a short period of time. For example, "Wait a minute while I get my coat".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In a minute.

The New York Times

Hold on a minute!

Forbes

TAYLOR Wait a minute!

The New York Times - Arts

Wait a minute here.

The New York Times

A minute later.

The New York Times

F.B.I.: Wait a minute.

The New Yorker

He thought a minute.

The New York Times

Then, wait a minute!

The New York Times - Sports

Wait a minute, dude!

The New Yorker

A minute, they estimated.

The New York Times

Pam! Just a minute.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a minute" when you need to specify a short duration or request a brief pause. For example, "Can I have a minute of your time?"

Common error

Avoid using "a minute" when you mean "in a minute", which indicates something will happen shortly. "A minute" refers to the duration itself, whereas "in a minute" refers to a point in the near future.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a minute" functions primarily as a noun phrase indicating a short period of time. Ludwig AI's analysis confirms its correct and usable nature in various contexts, as demonstrated by the numerous examples provided.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Wiki

18%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

15%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a minute" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to refer to a short duration of time or to request a brief pause. Ludwig AI confirms its versatility, with examples spanning news, instructional content, and casual conversation. It's essential to differentiate between "a minute" (referring to the duration) and "in a minute" (indicating an event will occur shortly). This phrase exhibits a neutral register, making it suitable for various contexts and writing styles.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moment

Refers to a very short, unspecified period of time, similar to a minute but potentially shorter.

instant

Implies an even shorter duration than a minute, almost immediate.

brief period

Emphasizes the shortness of the duration, applicable in formal contexts.

short time

A general term for a limited duration, suitable for various contexts.

short while

Suggests a slightly more casual and indefinite amount of time.

few seconds

Specifically refers to a small number of seconds, less than a minute.

just a sec

A very informal way of asking someone to wait, common in casual conversation.

a jiffy

An informal term for a very short amount of time, often used humorously.

a little bit

Suggests a small amount of time, often used for actions or tasks.

split second

Emphasizes extreme brevity, shorter than a minute.

FAQs

How is "a minute" used in a sentence?

"A minute" can denote a duration of time or a request for a brief pause. For example, "It will only take "a minute" to complete" or "Wait "a minute", I need to grab my keys".

What are some alternatives to saying "wait a minute"?

Instead of "wait a minute", you could say "hold on", "just a moment", or "give me a second" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "in a minute" or "after a minute"?

"In a minute" is used to indicate something will happen soon, whereas "after a minute" describes what happens following the passage of that duration. For example, "I'll be there "in a minute"" versus "After a minute, the cake was ready".

What's the difference between "a minute" and "minutes"?

"A minute" refers to a single unit of time (60 seconds), while "minutes" refers to a plural quantity of those units. Use "a minute" for singular instances and "minutes" when referring to two or more minutes.