Should I Use "a Bit of" In a Sentence?

Many writers use "a bit" or "a bit of" in their sentences to indicate a small amount of something. However, both "a bit" and "a bit of" can be a) redundant or b) vague.

Redundant

• Example: The house was a bit further away than I'd remembered.
• Rewrite: The house was further away than I'd remembered.

In this example, the words "a bit" give little or no additional information so it is redundant. In fact, the second sentence is stronger without it.

Vague

When writing, you should aim to use more specific language to indicate how much of something you are actually referring to.

• Original: I'd like a bit of notice next time.
• Rewrite: I'd like at least 24 hours' notice next time.

In descriptive writing, you can take the opportunity to paint a picture:

• Original: The house was a bit further away than I'd remembered.
• Rewrite: The house was a mile further along the twisting road than I'd remembered.