provides little ability

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "provides little ability" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something offers minimal capacity or capability to perform a task or function. Example: "The new software update provides little ability to customize user settings, which has disappointed many users."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

44 Firstly, the lack of monitoring provides little ability to objectively monitor adherence, which in the real world setting is likely to be worse with dabigatran given the need for twice daily dosing and its associated higher incidence of dyspepsia.

British Medical Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Where most students select the correct answer, regardless of their overall ability level, the question provides little information to distinguish the ability of the students.

BMC Medical Education

Comparison of the new metrics to existing methods provides little information on their ability to detect long ROH (as an aid to detect recent inbreeding) since existing methods cannot.

Genetics, Selection, Evolution

Unlike many developed countries, the Chinese central government provides little funding to hospitals, which restricts its ability to censure them for misconduct.

The New Yorker

Furthermore, the measurement of attitudes alone provides little understanding of the potentially conflicting values individuals may hold when considering health-related decisions and how these affect their ability to make informed choices (Marteau, 2009).

Health Psychology

History provides little, if any, competition.

The New York Times

The overpowered steering provides little road feel.

The New York Times

The LMR provides little support for organizing the problem list - users can reorder the list and mark problems as inactive, but there is no ability to automatically sort or group problems.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

The ankles are provided little mobility, reducing their ability to act as shock absorbers and transferring the impact of landing along to the tibia, knee, femur, hip and lower back.

The New York Times - Sports

Despite considerable effort, several attempts to train apes to imitate human speech provide little support for ape vocal imitation abilities [ 13].

Current Biology

Although useful to assess cell viability, these assays provide little input in determining the retention of proliferation ability of treated cells.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "provides little ability", ensure the context clearly indicates what is lacking in capability. For example, "This tool provides little ability to analyze complex data sets effectively."

Common error

Avoid using "provides little ability" when the subject offers absolutely no capability. In such cases, phrases like "offers no ability" or "completely lacks the capacity" may be more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "provides little ability" functions as a verb phrase that describes the extent to which something enables a certain action or outcome. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase effectively conveys a sense of limited capacity or capability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "provides little ability" is a versatile expression used to convey limited capacity or capability. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, including scientific, news, and formal writing. While not overly formal, it effectively communicates the inadequacy of something in enabling a particular action. Consider alternatives like "offers limited capability" or "gives minimal power" for nuanced expression. When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly defines the lacking capability, and avoid overstating the absence of ability when some capacity exists.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

offers minimal capability

Replaces "provides" with "offers" and "little ability" with "minimal capability", emphasizing the offering of a reduced capacity.

gives limited capacity

Substitutes "provides" with "gives" and "little ability" with "limited capacity", focusing on the action of granting a restricted capability.

supplies scarce aptitude

Employs "supplies" in place of "provides" and "scarce aptitude" instead of "little ability", highlighting the limited supply of skill.

furnishes inadequate means

Uses "furnishes" to replace "provides" and "inadequate means" for "little ability", emphasizing the provision of insufficient resources.

affords meager potential

Replaces "provides" with "affords" and "little ability" with "meager potential", underscoring the offering of a small degree of possibility.

yields restricted power

Substitutes "provides" with "yields" and "little ability" with "restricted power", focusing on the production of limited force or authority.

lacks significant capacity

Expresses the absence of substantial capacity, shifting from provision to deficiency.

grants nominal competence

Uses "grants" instead of "provides" and "nominal competence" for "little ability", indicating the bestowal of minimal skill.

imparts slight talent

Replaces "provides" with "imparts" and "little ability" with "slight talent", focusing on the bestowal of a small amount of talent.

bestows minimal skill

Substitutes "provides" with "bestows" and "little ability" with "minimal skill", highlighting the giving of a very small amount of skill.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "provides little ability" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases such as "offers limited capability" or "furnishes inadequate means". These options /s/offers+limited+capability and /s/furnishes+inadequate+means maintain a professional tone while conveying the same meaning.

What's a simpler way to say "provides little ability"?

You can use phrases like "gives limited capacity" or "doesn't offer much skill". These alternatives /s/gives+limited+capacity and /s/doesn't+offer+much+skill are easier to understand and suitable for informal contexts.

Is it correct to say "provides a little ability" instead of "provides little ability"?

While grammatically correct, "provides a little ability" suggests that there is some capability, whereas "provides little ability" emphasizes the deficiency. The choice depends on the intended meaning.

How does "provides little ability" differ from "lacks the ability"?

"Provides little ability" suggests that something offers minimal capability, while "lacks the ability" implies a complete absence of capability. The phrase /s/lacks+the+ability indicates a stronger deficiency.