small and small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "small and small" is not correct and usable in written English.
It does not convey a clear meaning and is likely a repetition that does not add value to the expression. Example: "The room felt small and small, making it uncomfortable to move around."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Large parties have became small and small parties have become large".

The Guardian

So the Bellevue Macy's has added more extra small and small sizes — including size 0s in women's clothing and 36 in men's suits.

The New York Times

"By Small and Small: Midnight to 4 A.M .: For eleven years I have regretted it, regretted that I did not do what I wanted to do as I sat there those four hours watching her die.

The New Yorker

Most clinical trials are small, and small trials are often associated with larger effect sizes.

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

In addition, nearly half of projects concern start-ups and very small and small new firms located in the region of Attica.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Small-sized trees, small diameter classes (very small and small) and low height strata (low understorey and upper understorey) were more abundant in the treated plots than in the control plots before harvesting (Table 4).

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

At Forage restaurant, a small (and small-plate) outpost of progressive cuisine in Salt Lake City, Viet Pham and Bowman Brown sent out a dessert of brown butter ice cream with sunchoke and walnut crumble.

The New York Times - Food

A proposed alternative approach would be to produce mitochondrial mutants by knocking out nuclear genes that encode mitochondrially targeted proteins (Colas Des Francs-Small and Small 2014).

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

Colas Des Francs-Small and Small (2014) proposed that mutating genes for nuclear-encoded, mitochondrially targeted proteins might be an effective way to produce "indirect mitochondrial mutants".

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

Similar trends were observed with the medium-small and small effect sizes although the power for all models dropped markedly with the small effect size.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Because complete absence of a mitochondrial gene would likely be lethal (Mackenzie et al. 1994; Colas Des Francs-Small and Small 2014), significant under-representation of coding regions may disturb mitochondrial function to produce the mosaic phenotypes.

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "small and small" in your writing as it's generally considered redundant and grammatically awkward. Instead, opt for more precise and natural-sounding alternatives like "very small" or "smaller and smaller" depending on the intended meaning.

Common error

A common mistake is using "small and small" when trying to emphasize smallness. This is unnecessary repetition. Instead, use adverbs like "very" or "extremely" (e.g., "very small") to intensify the adjective, or choose a stronger synonym like "tiny" or "minute".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "small and small" primarily functions as an adjectival phrase, though its usage is generally considered incorrect. Based on Ludwig, the expression is often found in contexts where repetition might be used for emphasis; however, it's typically more effective to employ more precise alternatives.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "small and small" appears in some contexts, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect and redundant. As Ludwig AI points out, its intended purpose of emphasizing smallness is better achieved through alternatives like "very small" or "smaller and smaller", depending on the specific meaning you want to convey. Its usage is most commonly found in science and news media, but even then, it's infrequent and often part of titles or specific names rather than general descriptive text. Therefore, it's best to avoid this phrase in formal or professional writing in favor of clearer and more grammatically sound options.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Smaller and smaller

Expresses a continuous decrease in size.

Very small

Emphasizes the diminutive size.

Extremely small

Highlights an exceptional degree of smallness.

Tiny

A simple synonym for "small".

Diminutive

A more formal synonym for "small".

Minute

Implies a very small or insignificant size.

Petite

Suggests a delicate or dainty smallness, often used for women.

Insignificant

Focuses on the lack of importance due to small size or impact.

Gradually diminishing

Describes a process of becoming smaller over time.

Slightly reduced

Indicates a minor decrease in size.

FAQs

Is "small and small" grammatically correct?

No, "small and small" is generally considered grammatically incorrect and redundant. It doesn't add any additional meaning compared to simply saying "small" or using alternatives like "very small".

What can I say instead of "small and small"?

Instead of "small and small", you can use alternatives like "very small", "extremely small", "tiny", or if you want to indicate an ongoing process of getting smaller, "smaller and smaller".

When is it appropriate to use "small and small"?

The phrase "small and small" is rarely appropriate. Some specific contexts may exist, such as in titles or creative writing where repetition is used for stylistic effect. However, in most formal or general writing, it should be avoided in favor of clearer alternatives.

How does "smaller and smaller" differ from "small and small"?

"Smaller and smaller" indicates a gradual decrease in size over time. It's used to describe something that is continuously shrinking. "Small and small", however, is generally considered grammatically incorrect and doesn't convey a clear meaning of continuous change.