small
- little
Small and little are both used to say that someone or something is not large. There are some important differences in the ways these words are used.
position in clause
Small can be used in front of a noun, or after a verb such as be.
They escaped in small boats.
She is small for her age.
Little is normally used only in front of nouns. You can talk about ‘a little town’, but you do not say ‘The town is little’.
She bought a little table with a glass top.
I picked up a little piece of rock.
used with grading adverbs
You can use words like quite and rather in front of small.
Quite small changes in climate can have enormous effects.
She cut me a rather small piece of cake.
Don't use these words in front of ‘little’.
You can use very and too in front of small.
The trees are full of very small birds.
They are living in houses which are too small.
‘Very’ or ‘too’ are not usually used in front of little when it is an adjective, except when you are talking about a young child. You don't say, for example, ‘I have a very little car’, but you can say ‘She was a very little girl.’
comparatives and superlatives
Small has the comparative and superlative forms smaller and smallest.
His apartment is smaller than his other place.
She rented the smallest car she could.
The comparative form littler and the superlative form littlest are mostly used in spoken English and to talk about young children.
The littler kids had been sent to bed.
You used to be the littlest boy in the school.
used with other adjectives
You can use other adjectives in front of little.
They gave me a funny little hat.
She was a pretty little girl.
Be careful
You don't normally use other adjectives in front of ‘small’.
You don't normally use other adjectives in front of ‘small’.