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A bit
from English Grammar Today
We use a bit (of) or bits (of) to refer to quantities. The phrases can refer to both abstract and concrete
things. They are an informal alternative to some, or a piece of or pieces of:
Do they need a bit of help with their luggage? (or … some help …)
There were bits of glass everywhere. (or … pieces of glass …)
Have you lost a bit of weight? (or … some weight?)
The storm had broken the fence into bits. (meaning ‘into small pieces’)
A bit or bits often have deliberately vague and informal meanings:
I’ve given him a few bits of advice.
These words can also soften the meaning, so that a statement is not too direct:
Wearing those shoes is a bit of a problem for her, I’m afraid.
We also use a bit to modify adjectives, or as an adverb. It is more informal than a little:
They had got a bit tired working in the garden.
Can you wait a bit for us? We’re in heavy traffic.
A bit is also used to modify comparative adjectives and comparative determiners:
The climate in New Zealand was a bit nicer than we had expected.
However, a bit and a bit of are not normally used to modify comparative adjectives before nouns:
It was a bit more entertaining than the last play we saw.
Not: a bit more entertaining play. or a bit more of entertaining play.
(“A bit” from English Grammar Today © Cambridge University Press.)
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/britishgrammar/quantifiers/abit 1/6
5/16/2017 A bit English Grammar Today Cambridge Dictionary
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Table of contents
+ Adjectives and adverbs
+ Easily confused words
– Nouns, pronouns and determiners
about nouns
common nouns
determiners
noun phrases
pronouns
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/britishgrammar/quantifiers/abit 2/6
5/16/2017 A bit English Grammar Today Cambridge Dictionary
– quantifiers
A bit
All
Any
Either
Enough
Least, the least, at least
Less
Little, a little, few, a few
Lots, a lot, plenty
Many
More
Most, the most, mostly
Much, many, a lot of, lots of: quantifiers
No, none and none of
Plenty
Some
Some and any
question words
uncountable nouns
+ Prepositions and particles
+ Words, sentences and clauses
+ Using English
+ Verbs
Word of the Day
black
the colour of coal or of the sky on a very dark night
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/britishgrammar/quantifiers/abit 3/6
5/16/2017 A bit English Grammar Today Cambridge Dictionary
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http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/britishgrammar/quantifiers/abit 4/6
5/16/2017 A bit English Grammar Today Cambridge Dictionary
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http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/britishgrammar/quantifiers/abit 5/6
5/16/2017 A bit English Grammar Today Cambridge Dictionary
© Cambridge University Press 2017
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