a small attention

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a small attention" is not correct in standard written English.
It is not commonly used and may lead to confusion, as "attention" is typically an uncountable noun. Example: "She only requires a small amount of attention to feel appreciated."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

A small attention field would be captured by (3) where β only affects centre responses.

European Journal of Neuroscience

Kids have a small attention span.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Go for a pint For students with a smaller attention span and a longer list of friends, find your local pub.

Independent

Insecurely attached children may be more alert to stimuli that are related to the mother, and may be more likely to have a smaller attention span when the mother is involved.

BMC Psychiatry

Most male partners have a smaller attention span than females, so you must get to the point quicker if you are female.

WikiHow

In our RCT, randomisation was performed before the beginning of the trial's symptomatic phase, and an unequal number of drop-outs generated a smaller attention-control group than the experimental groups.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

However, from our current knowledge on exercise in relation to immune functions, cytokines network, and in particular, the secretory role of contracting muscles, one concludes that a relatively small attention has been addressed to mechanisms of action of regular exercise in patients with a chronic inflammatory disease like IBD, in which immune response is impaired.

BioMed Research International

One of the high points is the performance of a large brown bear, in a small but attention-getting role.

The New York Times

Under a smaller collective attention shift scenario (the San Bernardino shooting), different weighting schemes become comparable: when sample size is 30%, CommonTag_RW even outperforms CoPerplexity_RW and CoPerplexity_PRW.

EPJ Data Science

This was quite plausibly an innocent line of questioning—I was a small glutton for attention, forever turning conversations to the subject of myself and, for a while, my mother gave me plausibly innocent answers.

The New Yorker

It seems doubtful whether his writings on liberty and on value pluralism would, by themselves, have merited such a small industry of attention had he not also known everybody who was anybody.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of "a small attention", use phrases like "a little attention" or "some attention" for grammatical correctness. For example: "The project received a little attention from the media".

Common error

Avoid using "small" directly before "attention" as it is grammatically unconventional. Instead, opt for phrases like "a small amount of attention" or "a little attention" to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a small attention" functions as a noun phrase, but its usage is limited and grammatically questionable. Ludwig AI indicates it is not correct in standard written English. It aims to quantify or describe the degree of focus or consideration given to something.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a small attention" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect. Its purpose is to indicate a limited amount of focus or consideration, but it's best replaced with phrases like "a little attention" or "some attention" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity. Authoritative sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian occasionally use the phrase, but its rarity suggests avoiding it in formal writing. Therefore, opting for grammatically sound alternatives is advisable in most contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a little attention

Uses "little" instead of "small" to modify "attention", which is more grammatically appropriate.

a limited amount of attention

Uses "limited amount" to specify the quantity of attention.

minimal attention

Uses "minimal" to indicate the least possible attention.

a modicum of attention

Replaces "small" with "modicum", suggesting a limited amount of attention.

a slight degree of attention

Emphasizes the small degree or intensity of attention.

scant attention

Replaces "small" with "scant", suggesting an insufficient amount of attention.

a passing glance

Uses idiomatic expression to convey very brief or superficial attention.

a brief consideration

Shifts the focus to a short period of thought or examination.

cursory notice

Indicates a quick and superficial form of recognition or acknowledgement.

fleeting interest

Highlights the temporary and short-lived nature of attention.

FAQs

Is "a small attention" grammatically correct?

No, "a small attention" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to say "a little attention" or "some attention".

What can I say instead of "a small attention"?

You can use alternatives like "a little attention", "some attention", or "minimal attention depending on the context.

Which is correct, "a small attention" or "a little attention"?

"A little attention" is the correct and more common phrase to use.

How can I use "attention" correctly in a sentence?

Use "attention" with modifiers like "a lot of", "much", "some", or "little". For instance, "The issue requires a lot of attention".