little age

USAGE SUMMARY

'little age' is not correct and not usable in written English.
You would use the phrasal adjective 'little' and an appropriate noun, such as 'age': 'He has achieved a lot for such a little age'.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Aroma of petroleum, characteristic of riesling with a little age.

The New York Times - Food

"We all live in a Chicken Little age where the sky is always falling in.

The Guardian - Sport

Like many of these layer cakes, the Lane cake gets better with a little age.

The New York Times

Check out how many of his bottles have a little age on them.

The New York Times - Food

"It just – from a little, little age – happened," Annie says, brushing her pink, dip-dyed fringe from her eyes.

The Guardian

"I always wanted to smoke and stay up late and drink and cuss, and I did all of those things at a very little age.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Areas for improvement Lessons contain very little age-appropriate learning, often deviating towards the difficulties of being a single woman of a certain age, rather than, say, literacy or numeracy.

The Guardian

As for which is better, no aging or a little aging, it's a matter of taste.

The New York Times - Food

In this case, as with tank-fermented wines, little aging of the wine takes place in contact with the yeast, and sulfur dioxide may be added.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Namely, our inferences are for a population of high school graduates with little age-grade distortion, aiming to join an elite institution.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

We show that total tau is widely distributed in the primate outer retina with little age-related change, being present in both rods and cones and their processes.

Experimental Eye Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to someone's young age, use the adjective "young" or "youthful" before the noun "age" for clarity and grammatical correctness. For example, "He achieved a lot at a young age".

Common error

Avoid using "little" directly before "age" to describe youth. This construction is generally considered ungrammatical. Instead, opt for "young age" or rephrase the sentence to convey the intended meaning clearly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "little age" functions as a noun phrase attempting to describe the age of someone or something. However, according to Ludwig AI, this phrase is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct phrasing is generally "young age".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

35%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

10%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "little age" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. Ludwig AI analysis confirms this assessment. While it appears in some contexts, particularly in News & Media and Science, it's better to use "young age" or rephrase the sentence to convey the intended meaning. Use the phrase "young age" and consider the alternatives provided to ensure clarity and correctness in your writing. Given its infrequency and grammatical issues, avoid using "little age" in formal or professional settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

young age

Replaces "little" with a more standard adjective to describe age.

young years

Similar to "young age", but with a slightly different emphasis.

youthful age

Emphasizes the quality of being young.

early years

Focuses on the initial period of life.

tender age

Highlights vulnerability and innocence associated with youth.

childhood

Refers to the state of being a child.

impressionable age

Highlights the characteristic of youth related to easily being influenced.

minority

Legally refers to someone under the age of majority.

short time

Focuses on duration rather than age itself, implying a brief period.

infancy

Refers to the earliest stage of childhood.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically correct way to say "little age"?

A better way to phrase "little age" is to use the term "young age" or rephrase your sentence to use related words like "youth" or "childhood". For example, instead of "He started at a little age", say "He started at a "young age"".

When can I use "young age" instead of "little age"?

You can almost always substitute "little age" with "young age". "Young age" is the more conventional and grammatically accepted phrase. Contexts where you might have used "little age" are usually better suited for ""young age"".

Are there situations where "little" is appropriate before a noun related to age?

Yes, "little" can be used to describe a young person, as in "He is a little boy". However, it's not grammatically correct to use "little age". It is usually better to say "young child" or "small child" depending on the context.

What can I say instead of "someone at a little age did something"?

Rephrase using words like "youth", "childhood", or phrases like "at a young age". For example, say "During his youth, he accomplished much" or "At a "young age", she excelled".