There's a bit [soup]

[Li'l Bull]

Hi, native speakers of English!

Please consider the following:

A: Is there any soup?
B: Yes, there's a bit, but it's cold.

I think "a bit" is wrong here. I would say "Yes, there's a little..." or "Yes, there's a little bit...". However, I'm not sure at all...:

1) ... if "a bit" is actually correct in this context, or

2) ... why "a bit" is incorrect if I am right in thinking so.

Can you give me a hand?

Thank you in advance.

 

[MuttQuad]

"Bit" is fine, because the word inherently implies a small amount. You could equally use "little" or "little bit." Matter of style choice.

 

[Andygc]

In BE that is just normal colloquial English. It is commonly used to mean a small amount. In your conversation it would, perhaps, be more usual to hear "Yes, there's a bit left, ...), but there is nothing wrong with what you have there.

cross-posted with MuttQuad - so that's AE covered as well.

 

[Li'l Bull]

Thanks, MuttQuad.

I thought "a little" could be used as a quantifier, before an uncountable noun (e.g. a little soup) or as an adverb, before an adjective (e.g. a little tired), but "a bit" could only be used as an adverb (e.g. a bit tired).

Does anybody have any grammar rules?

 

[Rover_KE]

I usually say 'There's a drop of soup left' (or a drop of any other liquid).

Rover

 

[Andygc]

"Bit" is a noun too - in your context a bit expands to "a bit of soup". You could use "a little" in your conversation - ".. there's a little, but ..." - that would be normal English too.