a little bit + (noun) or (adjective) ?

[sb70012]

Hello teachers,

I know what a little bit is. As far as I know, after (a little bit) we use (adjective)

For example: a little bit hard - a little bit old - a little bit tired

I want to know whether we can use a (noun) after a little bit or not.

For example: a little bit water - a little bit oil - a little bit anger = (are these correct or not?)

I know that if we want to use it with a noun, we should use (of) = a little bit of water

But I just want to whether after (a little bit) we can use a noun or only adjective?

(I searched it in the search box and I found some posts related to a little and a little bit, but
they were not realated to my question)

Many thanks in advance.

 

[owlman5]

You can't use "a little bit water" in an ordinary statement, but it sounds fine if add the word "of" to the phrase: a little bit of water.

I've heard people use "a little bit + noun" in song lyrics when they used a noun or noun phrase adjectivally: I'm a little bit country, I'm a little bit rock and roll. However, that construction is odd and has no place in normal language. You might consider it a possibility if you are trying to be poetic or lyrical.

 

[Bevj]

It is also possible to say 'a little + noun.'
For example, 'The sauce is thicker if you add a little cream'.

 

[sb70012]

Thank you.

 

[sb70012]

Hello again teachers,

Can (a little bit) be used at the last of a sentence or not?

Look at my example: Would you please explain it a little bit?

Can that structure be correct or not?

 

[velisarius]

"A little bit" is not wrong in itself, and it could go at the end of the sentence, but it sounds just a little childish.
"A bit" is colloquial: "Does it hurt?" - "Yes, a bit". In more formal English that would be "Yes, a little."
"Yes, a little bit" is something a child would say, or an adult who didn't mind sounding twee. (Others may disagree.) In any case, it is colloquial. I could say but not write something like: "A little bit of sugar helps the medicine go down."

 

[sb70012]

Thanks for answering Velisarious, but what do you think of my example?

Would you please explain it a little bit?

 

[velisarius]

Would you please explain it a little bit?

If I heard you say that, it would sound fine. To see it written down, if it were written by a native speaker I would have to say it looked a bit childish. "A little" and "a bit" both mean more or less the same thing. If you use both, one of them is redundant, in my opinion.

 

[sb70012]

You said that ( a little bit) is childish and colloquial. What if after that comes an adjective? (is it childish then or it's childish when it comes at the end?)

I mean have you ever seen (a little bit) in formal writings or formal speakings or not? For example, suppose that the boss says: "The project is a little bit hard for us" = (is it ok or again it's colloquial or childish?)

Thank you.

 

[velisarius]

Your examples in post #1 with adjectives don't sound very likely to me. For example, I wouldn't normally say "it's a little bit hard". "A little bit old, a little bit tired" sound even more improbable to me, though I'm sure you could find examples of them somewhere.

I would be very surprised to hear a boss say that the project is "a little bit hard for us". It would sound childish or non-native. I don't know what a boss would say, but I might say "this is going to be a bit difficult", or "rather difficult".

 

[sb70012]

Can (a little bit) ever be used formally?

 

[velisarius]

I wouldn't, sb. I mean if I were the Chancellor of the Exchequer I wouldn't say: "In this budget the government is raising the tax on tobacco a little bit." If I had to write a report I wouldn't write: "Sales this month fell a little bit." If I were writing an essay I wouldn't write: "James Joyce's prose is a little bit hard to understand".

 

[sb70012]

Now I completely understood it. Thank you so much Velisarius.
Your examples were great.