take a small time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "take a small time" is not correct in standard written English.
It is unclear and does not convey a specific meaning. A more appropriate phrase would be "take a little time" or "take some time." Example: "Please take a little time to review the document before our meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Chris Froome took the tactical decision to break this rule on a mountain stage last year, figuring that it was better to take a small time-penalty than "bonk" on the last climb.

BBC

Filtering process, however, takes a small time compared to other sections and does not have a significant effect on total running time.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Filtering process, however, takes a small time compared to other sections and does not have a substantial impact on total running time.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Taking a small time step dt and allowing d t → 0 the transition probabilities between the two states are then given by: P ( Q → A,  in time  d t ) = f ( s i ( t ) ) d t, P ( A → Q,  in time  d t ) = α d t, where s i ( t ) = ∑ j w i j N a j ( t ) + h i is the input to the neurone.

The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience

I hope that the student was wrong – that hours of coffee drinking isn't a problem – because it's refreshing to think that while most of the world's people are racing to some invisible finish line, Bosnians seemed to take a little time to enjoy the small things in life.

BBC

This will take a small amount of time in the beginning, but save you time in the long term.

WikiHow

They can take a small amount every time one of their songs is streamed -- frequently about a penny per play -- or just take a set percentage of the service's total revenues.

Huffington Post

These should be the easy things on your list that only take a small amount of time to accomplish.

WikiHow

The final minute of game time seemed to take a small eternity in real time, with the in-game action interrupted by four team timeouts and eight free throw attempts.

The Guardian - Sport

He'd chosen to take a small bite of ESPA Time with an à la carte treatment off the spa menu, the "back, face and scalp massage".

Forbes

AT THE END of a nearly two-hour lecture to a FORBES reporter on the history of the Amish people, the middle-aged businessman suddenly pushes away from his desk and says: "I'll take a small contribution for my time now, seeing as I spent so long with you and haven't gotten any work done".

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use more common and grammatically correct alternatives like "take a little time" or "take a moment" instead of "take a small time".

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "take a small time" as it is not standard English. Opt for alternatives such as "take a short time" or "take a little time" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "take a small time" is intended to function as a verb phrase, suggesting the allocation or use of a brief duration. However, according to Ludwig, this specific phrasing is not considered correct English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "take a small time" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is better to use alternative phrases such as "take a little time" or "take a moment" to convey the idea of allocating a short period for an activity. While the intended purpose is clear, the phrasing is unconventional and should be avoided in formal writing. Because there are no clear examples the usage patterns are essentially non-existent.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

take a little time

Emphasizes a short duration, similar to "small time", but uses more common and grammatically sound phrasing.

take a moment

Replaces "small time" with "moment", indicating a very brief period.

spend a short time

Uses "spend" instead of "take", focusing on the action of allocating time.

invest a little time

Highlights the allocation of time as an investment in something.

allocate a brief period

Replaces "take" with "allocate", emphasizing the formal assignment of time.

dedicate a short while

Emphasizes the commitment of time for a specific purpose.

set aside a little time

Highlights the act of reserving time from other activities.

give a few minutes

Focuses on offering a small amount of time from one's schedule.

spare a short period

Indicates that the time is being offered reluctantly or from a busy schedule.

find a little time

Highlights the need to search for or create time within a busy schedule.

FAQs

What does "take a small time" mean?

The phrase "take a small time" is not standard English and lacks a clear meaning. It's better to use phrases like "take a little time" or "take a moment" instead.

How can I use "take a little time" correctly in a sentence?

You can use "take a little time" in a sentence like: "Please take a little time to review this document." or "I need to take a little time to finish this project."

What are some alternatives to "take a small time"?

Better alternatives include "take a short time", "take a little time", or "spend a moment".

Is it grammatically correct to say "take a small time"?

No, the phrase "take a small time" is not grammatically correct. Use more common and clear alternatives like "take a little time" or "take a moment".