little ever

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "little ever" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is not a standard expression and may confuse readers due to its unusual combination of words. Example: "There is little ever to suggest that he would change his mind."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Little ever got personal.

The New York Times

Little ever comes of such proposals.

The New York Times

— she gives a little ever time you do it.

The New Yorker

But in practice, very little ever got past the rangers or the council.In this section United against AIDS?

The Economist

It's just that, amid the three-course dinners and cheeky little wines, little ever seems to be resolved.

The Guardian - Business

Most of all, there is the constant, unappeasable need of the children, and little ever cleaned up or repaired.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

The Doctor and Davros have always enjoyed a little chinwag, ever since they first crossed swords in 1975.

Independent

But little is ever remedied.

The New York Times

Little is ever assured in Russia, except a risky future.

The Economist

Yet little would ever rival the achievement of his "Nocturnes".

The Economist

But this is boxing, and little is ever so simple.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "little ever" in formal writing. Opt for more grammatically sound and widely accepted alternatives such as "hardly ever" or "rarely ever" to ensure clarity and credibility.

Common error

Do not directly substitute "little ever" for phrases like "hardly ever" or "rarely ever". While the intention might be understandable, "little ever" does not follow standard English grammatical conventions and can confuse your reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "little ever" functions as an attempt to express infrequency or rarity. However, it's grammatically unconventional and often replaced by more standard phrases like "hardly ever". Ludwig AI highlights its non-standard nature.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "little ever" attempts to convey infrequency, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. It's best to opt for more accepted alternatives like ""hardly ever"", ""rarely ever"", or ""almost never"" to ensure clarity and avoid confusion. Although some occurrences can be found in diverse sources like News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business writing, its usage remains infrequent and should be approached with caution, particularly in formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly ever

Emphasizes the rarity of an event or action.

rarely ever

Similar to 'hardly ever', but slightly more formal.

scarcely ever

Implies an even greater infrequency than 'hardly ever'.

almost never

Directly states that something happens close to never.

seldom ever

A more archaic or formal way of saying 'rarely'.

infrequently

Focuses on the lack of frequency directly.

not often

A simple and direct way to express lack of frequency.

hardly at all

Highlights the minimal extent or degree of something happening.

barely ever

Suggests something is just on the edge of happening, but almost never does.

virtually never

Implies that something is so rare it's practically non-existent.

FAQs

Is "little ever" grammatically correct?

No, "little ever" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use alternatives like "hardly ever" or "rarely ever".

What phrases can I use instead of "little ever"?

Instead of "little ever", you can use phrases such as "hardly ever", "rarely ever", "scarcely ever", or "almost never" to convey a similar meaning.

Is there a situation where "little ever" might be appropriate?

While not grammatically standard, "little ever" might appear in informal speech or creative writing to create a specific effect, but it should generally be avoided in formal contexts.

How does "little ever" differ from "hardly ever"?

"Little ever" is not a recognized idiomatic expression, while "hardly ever" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something happens rarely. Using "hardly ever" ensures clarity and avoids potential confusion.