a small span of time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a small span of time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a brief duration or period in various contexts, such as discussions about events, deadlines, or experiences. Example: "We only have a small span of time to complete the project before the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Her aesthetic reflects this: many of the scenes depict everyday images, use bright colors sparingly, and fit intricate patterns and details into a small span of time.

Vice

We have all seen people in our own lives who have let fear rule them, if even for only a small span of time.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It's a little span of time that you can focus on somebody else.

Huffington Post

UIRP has been found to hold over very small spans of time (covering only a number of hours) with a high frequency of bilateral exchange rate data.

Wikipedia

The pathos of her acting comes from the sense that she had lived lifetimes of emotion in small spans of time — had laughed and cried more in a day than most people do in a year and was piling the excess of new feelings on the exhausted smolder of extinguished conflagrations.

The New Yorker

Though children instinctively speak, see, move and use common sense, their minds may be constitutionally ill at ease with many of the fruits of modern civilization: written language, mathematical calculation, the very large and very small spans of time and space that are the subject of history and science.

MIT Technology Review

A small span will reveal more local variation in risk, while a larger span will produce a smoother pattern of risk.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

This framework involves a sprint, a span of time during which a product increment is created.

Forbes

It is a puzzle platromer where you use your limited teleporting ability and limited ammo to traverse vast (small) spans of space and time (levels).

TechCrunch

This is because when the wall has large permittivity and thickness, the echo from the rear side of the wall will be attenuated and distorted seriously, which means that the echo will have a small amplitude and a long span of time, and thus tends to be more affected by the target echo.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Ideally, anyone who has PureWrist will use it all the time, which means charities could accrue many small donations over a large span of time.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When emphasizing the brevity of an action or event, use "a small span of time" to highlight the limited duration involved. For instance, "The reaction occurred within a small span of time."

Common error

Avoid using "a small span of time" when the duration is not relevant to the context. Overusing it can make events seem unimportant when they might have significant consequences despite their brief nature.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a small span of time" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, adjective, or clause. It indicates the duration during which an action occurs or a state exists. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a small span of time" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate a brief duration. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for various contexts, particularly in news, science, and academic writing. While alternatives like "a brief duration" or "a short interval" exist, "a small span of time" specifically highlights the limited quantity of time. Be mindful of overusing the phrase, and ensure it appropriately emphasizes brevity without diminishing the importance of the context. With a neutral register and a variety of potential applications, "a small span of time" is a useful addition to your writing toolkit.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a brief duration

Focuses on the shortness of the period.

a short interval

Emphasizes the limited gap between two points in time.

a fleeting moment

Highlights the transient nature of the time period.

a concise period

Underscores the compactness of the time frame.

a limited timeframe

Stresses the restricted boundaries of the time.

a quick spell

Suggests a short and often intermittent period.

a narrow window

Implies a small opportunity within a specific time.

a tight schedule

Highlights the constrained nature of the allotted time.

a compressed timeline

Focuses on squeezing activities into a limited time.

a miniature epoch

Refers to an extremely short and almost insignificant period.

FAQs

What does "a small span of time" mean?

The phrase "a small span of time" refers to a short duration or a brief period.

How can I use "a small span of time" in a sentence?

You can use it to emphasize the limited duration of an event or action. For example, "The entire process took only "a small span of time"." or "We completed the task in "a brief period"."

What are some alternatives to "a small span of time"?

Alternatives include "a brief duration", "a short interval", or "a fleeting moment", depending on the context.

Is it more appropriate to say "a short span of time" or "a small span of time"?

Both are acceptable, but "a short span of time" is generally more common. "A small span of time" emphasizes the limited quantity of time, while "a short span of time" simply indicates briefness.