a small evidence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a small evidence" is not correct in standard English; it should be "a small piece of evidence." You can use the corrected phrase when referring to a minor or limited amount of proof in a discussion or argument.
Example: "The investigation revealed a small piece of evidence that could lead to new insights."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

In addition the incorporation of group motivational interviewing will add to a small evidence base on this topic.

BMC Family Practice

17 In addition, mental health work in humanitarian settings remains plagued by a small evidence base for prevention and treatment options.

Harvard Review of Psychiatry

Cotelli et al. [ 67, 68](M), M) also draw attention to cognitive rehabilitation, including the use of reminiscence therapy, noting positive implications for rate of decline in cognitive functioning, albeit based upon a small evidence base.

BMC Geriatrics

In medicine, much like politics, one of the essential ingredients is timing; however, there is only a small evidence base regarding the time to initiate RRT in AKI [ 6].

Critical Care

We find that RBSets leads to good performance in identifying additional interactions starting from a small evidence set of interacting proteins, for which an underlying biological logic in terms of functional processes and signaling pathways can be established with some confidence.

Bioinformatics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Because little research has been conducted on which therapist-client interactions lead to intermediate and end-point improvements in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), we have a small evidence-base from which to specify what therapists must know and do in order to obtain good outcomes using DBT.

Behavior Therapy

The restriction of the network resulted in a smaller evidence base: eight trials of 613 people with diabetes were excluded from the analysis.

British Medical Journal

Home monitoring has a smaller evidence base than ambulatory monitoring but has gained acceptance over recent years as data accumulate and accurate equipment becomes more widely available.

British Medical Journal

Art therapy (61%) and psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy (59%), two therapies with a smaller evidence base than light therapy or sleep deprivation, were perceived as relevant by more than the half of the respondents.

BMC Psychiatry

It should also be noted that some populations are more suited to treatment with a second-line therapy than with a first-line therapy, irrespective of how well validated each agent is, that is, a smaller evidence base does not necessarily mean that a treatment is inferior.

Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

Mindfulness is being promoted in schools as a prevention program despite a current small evidence base.

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a limited amount of proof, use the phrase "a small piece of evidence" or "a small amount of evidence" for grammatical correctness. For example: "The investigation revealed "a small piece of evidence" that could lead to new insights."

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "a small evidence". "Evidence" is generally considered an uncountable noun, so it's not typically preceded by the indefinite article "a" without a quantifier. Instead, use phrases like ""a small piece of evidence"" or "a small amount of evidence".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a small evidence" functions as a noun phrase. However, it's important to note that it's not grammatically standard due to the use of the indefinite article "a" with the uncountable noun "evidence". Ludwig AI points out that it's better to use phrases like "a small amount of evidence".

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a small evidence" is generally considered grammatically incorrect because "evidence" is typically an uncountable noun. Therefore, using the indefinite article "a" directly before "evidence" is non-standard. As Ludwig AI confirms, more appropriate alternatives include ""a small piece of evidence"" or "a small amount of evidence". While the phrase might appear in some sources, especially in informal contexts, it's advisable to use grammatically correct alternatives in formal writing. Using correct phrasing enhances clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a small piece of evidence

Adds the countable noun "piece" to quantify evidence, making the phrase grammatically correct.

a small amount of evidence

Replaces "evidence" with the more appropriate "amount of evidence" to denote a quantity of proof.

limited evidence

Uses the adjective "limited" to describe the evidence, indicating a restricted quantity.

scant evidence

Employs "scant" to convey a minimal or insufficient amount of evidence.

meager evidence

Uses "meager" to suggest the evidence is deficient or inadequate.

slight evidence

Indicates the evidence is minimal or not very substantial.

a hint of evidence

Replaces "evidence" with "hint of evidence", suggesting an indirect or subtle indication.

a trace of evidence

Replaces "evidence" with "trace of evidence", implying a very small or residual amount of proof.

minimal evidence

Uses "minimal" to express the least possible amount of evidence.

a shred of evidence

Employs "shred" to emphasize the small and fragmented nature of the evidence.

FAQs

How can I use "evidence" correctly in a sentence when referring to a small quantity?

Instead of "a small evidence", use "a small amount of evidence" or ""a small piece of evidence"". The word "evidence" is generally uncountable, so you need a quantifier.

What are some alternatives to "a small evidence"?

Alternatives include "limited evidence", "scant evidence", "minimal evidence", or "a trace of evidence". These phrases convey the idea of a small quantity of evidence more accurately.

Is it grammatically correct to say "a small evidence"?

No, it's not grammatically correct. "Evidence" is usually treated as an uncountable noun. Correct alternatives are ""a small piece of evidence"" or "a small amount of evidence".

What is the difference between "a small evidence" and "a small amount of evidence"?

"A small evidence" is grammatically incorrect because "evidence" is generally uncountable. "A small amount of evidence" is correct because it uses the countable noun "amount" to quantify the uncountable noun "evidence".