too small quantities

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "too small quantities" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe when an amount of something is not enough. For example, "Due to too small quantities of materials, the project could not be completed on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The third group of fibre is oligosaccharides (onions, artichoke, banana, cecoria), which although important to health, regrettably today is consumed in much too small quantities (app 2 8 g/d) [11].

Clinical and Translational Medicine

Some such isotopes (especially 291Cn and 293Cn) may even have been synthesized in nature, but would have decayed away far too quickly (with half-lives of only thousands of years) and be produced in far too small quantities (about 10−12 the abundance of lead) to be detectable as primordial nuclides today outside cosmic rays.

Wikipedia

Most of the protein spots represented low abundant proteins with too small quantities of proteins on the 2D gels to be confidently identified, resulting in 37 successfully identified proteins (Table 2).

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"So far, there is far too small a quantity to be of concern," said William T. Sturges, an atmospheric chemist at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, and the study's principal author.

The New York Times

So it was with regret for the report to note that radioactive wastes were "too small in quantity today to irradiate anything but a small area".

Energy, Sustainability and Society

Quantities such as the vapor pressure of ions include all of the energetics and are therefore, in principle, unambiguously physically meaningful, although in some cases the vapor pressure may be too small to measure directly.

ChemPhysChem

Birds that consume it in quantities too small to kill them lay few eggs, and the chicks that hatch soon die.

The New Yorker

Many of the best wines are made in quantities too small to suit the national or global scale of the Internet.

The New York Times - Food

The new facility near Qum is too small to produce commercial quantities of fuel for a nuclear power plant — Tehran's stated goal — but just the right size to produce a bomb's worth of weapons-grade fuel.

The New York Times

Deep-sea microbes living in Pacific Ocean deposits that have remained untouched for 86 million years — well before dinosaurs went extinct — consume oxygen in quantities too small to be measured.

The New York Times - Science

The process of cementation and the results of soil cement and lime stabilization are similar, they used in quantities too small to provide high-strength cementing action.

International Journal of Geo-Engineering

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "too small quantities", consider the specific context and whether a more precise measurement or comparison is needed to emphasize the insufficiency.

Common error

Avoid using "too small quantities" without providing a reference point. Quantify the smallness relative to a specific need or expectation to enhance clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "too small quantities" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun. It describes the quantities as being insufficient or inadequate. Ludwig AI confirms this with numerous examples showing its use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "too small quantities" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate that an amount of something is insufficient. Ludwig AI confirms that it functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, serving the purpose of expressing deficiency. It is most frequently encountered in scientific and news contexts and maintains a neutral register suitable for diverse audiences. When using this phrase, consider quantifying the smallness for enhanced clarity and exploring alternatives like ""insufficient amounts"" for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insufficient amounts

Replaces "too small" with "insufficient", emphasizing inadequacy.

inadequate quantities

Uses "inadequate" to convey a lack of sufficient quantity.

limited quantities

Focuses on the restricted nature of the amount.

meager amounts

Emphasizes the small and often unsatisfactory nature of the quantity.

scarce quantities

Highlights the rarity and limited availability.

minimal amounts

Stresses the very low or bare minimum quantity.

negligible quantities

Indicates that the quantities are so small they can be disregarded.

paltry amounts

Implies the amount is insignificant and contemptibly small.

trivial quantities

Suggests the amounts are unimportant due to their small size.

tiny amounts

Replaces "small" with "tiny" for emphasis.

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "too small quantities"?

Use "too small quantities" when describing amounts that are insufficient for a particular purpose or need. For example, "The research team had to halt their experiment because of "insufficient amounts" of the reagent".

What are some alternatives to saying "too small quantities"?

You can use alternatives like "inadequate quantities", "limited amounts", or "insufficient quantities depending on the context".

How can I emphasize the insufficiency of "too small quantities"?

To emphasize the insufficiency, you might use adjectives like "extremely", "significantly", or "unacceptably" before "small". For example, "The yield was an "extremely small quantity", rendering the experiment inconclusive".

Is "too small a quantity" grammatically different from "too small quantities"?

Yes, "too small a quantity" refers to a singular amount, while "too small quantities" refers to multiple amounts. Use "quantity" when referring to a single, uncountable item and "quantities" for multiple or countable items.