a quite small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a quite small" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would typically be "a rather small" or "a quite small amount." Example: "The box was a quite small size, making it easy to carry."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

So imported consumer goods are a quite small part of the import picture.

The Washington Post

"I did most of my early fishing in a quite small lake, really a large pond.

The Guardian - Books

Foreign students represent "a quite small but increasing amount" of Warwickshire's income, says Cadwgan-Evans.

The Guardian

Right: A quite small cone radius suffices for the H3 spherical cap, so the layout is reasonably dense.

Stanford University

It's a medical issue affecting a quite small number of individuals due to private personal and family choices about sport.

The Economist

"It's a quite small country, and I thought, they specialize in dentistry — so that's what I might do".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

The computations are performed in a quite small-time interval which is only a small fraction of the first full cycle of the measured sinusoidal signal.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

It's a Tardis – quite small, but once you get inside there's a lot there.

Independent

With SGX, because the memory space for an enclave is quite small, a simple brute forcing mechanism can easily identify the correct address.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

Participant A: "these icons are quite small … if it was bigger you might have a better chance of seeing [them]".

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

At this level of brain activity, he said, "the difference between a mouse and a human is quite small".

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for formal tone, consider using "a fairly small" or "a rather small" instead. Although the provided examples demonstrate the phrase's usage, standard English prefers alternatives.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on "quite" as an intensifier. While common, it can make your writing sound less precise. Vary your language by using stronger adjectives or adverbs to describe the degree of smallness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a quite small" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase. Although Ludwig provides numerous examples of its usage, it's worth noting that, according to Ludwig AI, standard English prefers alternatives like "a fairly small" or "a rather small".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

32%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a quite small" is used to describe something of lesser size, but Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically questionable in standard English. Despite its frequent appearance in various sources including scientific papers and news articles, it's advisable to use alternatives such as "a fairly small" or "a rather small" especially in formal writing. Be mindful of your audience and the context to determine the most suitable phrase for conveying the intended meaning effectively. While common, its slightly questionable grammar suggests considering more standard alternatives for enhanced clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a fairly small

Replaces "quite" with "fairly", resulting in a slight decrease in intensity.

a rather small

Substitutes "quite" with "rather", keeping the emphasis similar but altering the tone slightly.

a pretty small

Replaces "quite" with "pretty", making the phrase more informal.

a relatively small

Uses "relatively" to indicate the smallness is in comparison to something else.

a considerably small

Replaces "quite" with "considerably", increasing the intensity of the smallness.

a noticeably small

Focuses on the characteristic of being noticeably small.

a distinctly small

Emphasizes the clear and apparent smallness.

a remarkably small

Highlights the surprising or unusual aspect of the small size.

a substantially small

Implies the small size is of some importance or consequence.

a surprisingly small

Highlights the unexpected nature of the small size.

FAQs

What does "a quite small" mean?

The phrase "a quite small" is used to describe something that is relatively small, although it's often considered grammatically questionable. It is often synonymous with "a fairly small" or "a rather small".

Is "a quite small" grammatically correct?

While you might encounter the phrase "a quite small", Ludwig AI indicates that it's not considered standard written English. More appropriate alternatives would be "a fairly small" or "a rather small".

Which is better, "a quite small" or "a fairly small"?

In most contexts, "a fairly small" is preferable. "Quite" in this construction is considered less standard. Both phrases indicate something is relatively small, but "fairly" is more universally accepted in formal writing.

What are some alternatives to "a quite small"?

Depending on the context, you could use "a rather small", "a pretty small", or "a relatively small". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.