And lacks only

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "And lacks only" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is almost complete but requires one final element or aspect to be fully realized. Example: "The project is well-developed and lacks only the final approval from the board."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The fear is a global influenza pandemic this highly pathogenic H5N1 strain (hereafter referred to as "HP-H5N1") is associated with human case fatality rates reportedly higher than in the 1918 "Spanish" flu pandemic, and lacks only the ability to be transmitted efficiently among humans [10] [12].

Plosone

The conjugative element Tn6224 harboured by plasmid pCTN1046 shares 96.2% nt sequence ID with the conjugative element Tn916 and lacks only two genes which encode hypothetical proteins in the conjugative region of Tn916.

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"I've spoken with Johan Bruyneel and, lacking only a few details, I'll go with him to Astana," Contador told the Spanish daily Marca.

The New York Times

Our mock duck in delicious green curry had the flavor and texture of the genuine article and lacked only its fatty crisped skin.

The New York Times

But we had a delightful time, with everyone agreeing that Vegas Venice was much cleaner than the real thing, and lacked only pigeons for verisimilitude.

The New York Times

We had huge idle resources as we do today and lacked only money, which it turned out the government and the Federal Reserve could create and deploy.

Huffington Post

The construct contained residues 1 288, comprising all HRMs and lacking only the membrane-spanning region at the C-terminus.

Biochemistry

This FGFR3-TACC3 proteincludesdes a large portion of the WT FGFR3 IIIb sequence covering the entire KD and lacking only a small portion at the C-terminus that is replaced by TACC3.

EBioMedicine

This ligand provides the aromatic component of substrate and product and primarily lacks only the 2-amino-4-oxobutanoic acid moiety.

Biochemical Journal

It is the primary ingredient of most or all of these cleaners, and usually lacks only their added coloring and perfumes.

WikiHow

Most of the tRNAs are capable of forming the typical clover-leaf structure, with the exception of tRNAAla (which lacks both the DHU and TψC arms), tRNASer AGN), tRNATyr and tRNAVal (which lacks only the DHU arm).

BMC Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "And lacks only" to precisely indicate that something is nearly complete but requires a single, specific addition or improvement. This highlights the almost finished state while acknowledging the remaining need.

Common error

Avoid using "and lacks only" when the missing element is, in fact, crucial or substantial. It implies a minor deficiency, so ensure this accurately reflects the situation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "And lacks only" functions as a conjunctional phrase that introduces a qualification or a slight deficiency to a preceding statement. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is grammatically correct. It adds a nuance, pointing out that something is mostly complete except for a single, specific element.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "And lacks only" is a grammatically correct and useful conjunctional phrase that indicates that something is nearly complete but requires one final element. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for a variety of contexts, particularly in science and news media. While the phrase isn't extremely common, it serves to highlight a specific deficiency without undermining the overall completeness of the subject. When using this phrase, be mindful of the weight of the missing element and ensure that the phrase accurately reflects the situation, as overstating the insignificance of a crucial element can be misleading.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Only lacks

Reverses the order of the original phrase while maintaining the core meaning.

Only needs

Focuses on what is required rather than what is missing.

Is only missing

Highlights the absence of a specific element.

Just requires

Emphasizes the simplicity of what is needed.

Is wanting only

Uses a slightly more formal tone to indicate a deficiency.

Needs nothing more than

Stresses that only one thing is necessary for completion.

Simply requires

Underscores the uncomplicated nature of the requirement.

Is deficient in only

Emphasizes the deficiency but limits it to a single aspect.

Is short only of

Highlights the slight shortage or deficit.

Merely needs

Indicates that the requirement is small or insignificant.

FAQs

How can I use "And lacks only" in a sentence?

Use "And lacks only" to show that something is nearly complete but needs one more thing to be finished. For example, "The project is well-developed and "and lacks only" the final approval from the board".

What's a more formal way to say "And lacks only"?

Consider using "Is wanting only" or "Needs nothing more than" for a more formal tone. These phrases provide a similar meaning while being slightly more elevated in style.

Which is correct: "And lacks only" or "But lacks only"?

"And lacks only" is used to add information that complements a previous statement, whereas "But lacks only" would introduce a contrast. The choice depends on the context.

What can I say instead of "And lacks only" to emphasize simplicity?

To emphasize simplicity, you can use phrases like "Just requires" or "Simply requires". These highlight that the missing element is not complex or difficult to obtain.