Which one is correct?
"has a small amount of" or "has the small amount of"?

Question

Which one is correct?
"has a small amount of" or "has the small amount of"?

TextRanch: The best way to perfect your writing.

Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!

One of our experts will correct your English.

100% Human-Powered Editing!

This phrase is used when referring to an unspecified or general quantity of something.

Examples:

The recipe only requires a small amount of sugar.
He has a small amount of cash in his wallet.
She has a small amount of experience in that field.
There is a small amount of water left in the bottle.
The project has a small amount of funding available.

Alternatives:

has a small quantity of
has a small portion of
has a small volume of
has a small number of
has a small supply of

This phrase is used when referring to a specific, known quantity of something.

Examples:

The recipe requires the small amount of sugar that is left in the jar.
He has the small amount of cash that he withdrew yesterday.
She has the small amount of experience needed for the job.
There is the small amount of water that was left in the bottle.
The project has the small amount of funding required for the first phase.

Alternatives:

has that small amount of
has this small amount of
has such a small amount of
has the specific small amount of
has the exact small amount of

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Has a small amount of' is used when referring to an unspecified or general quantity, while 'has the small amount of' is used when referring to a specific, known quantity. The choice between the two depends on the level of specificity required in the sentence.

Last Updated: March 19, 2024