Key success

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Key success" is not correct in standard written English; it should be "Key to success." You can use it when discussing the essential factors or elements that contribute to achieving success in a particular context.
Example: "Effective communication is the key to success in any team project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Key success factors are derived from analyzing and summarizing intelligent green building experiences in Taiwan.

Energy Policy

Key success for highway projects mainly depends on the characterization of subgrade soil intended for thousands of kilometers.

International Journal of Geo-Engineering

Key success factors for collaborative analyses are common definitions of main exposure and health variables.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Key success factors related to leadership and governance include sustained country ownership and political will.

HIV/AIDS - Research and Palliative Care

Overall, hybrid crowds with lead investors embrace the key success factors shared among successful venture capital firms while leveraging the benefits of crowdfunding (Coppey 2016).

Financial Innovation

SIR: You captured the key success factor behind a wildly successful company.

Forbes

There has also been one key success on the financial front.

The New York Times

So from the point of view of business, intellectual property rights are the ultimate key success factor".

The New York Times

But a key success factor was the network I had built before I applied for a role.

The Guardian

Participants also expressed that obtaining information and effective communication are key success factors for new ventures.

Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research

There are many applications in which perception can be a key success factor in factory automation.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the grammatically correct phrase "key to success" instead of "key success" in formal writing. While the latter might be understood, it does not adhere to standard English grammar.

Common error

Resist the urge to shorten "key to success" to "key success". Although concise, it sacrifices grammatical correctness. Remember, clarity and correctness enhance your message's impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Key success" (more accurately, "key to success") functions as an adjectival phrase identifying the most important factors needed to achieve a desired outcome. Although frequently used, Ludwig AI identifies the grammatically correct version as "key to success".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

26%

Formal & Business

37%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "key success" appears frequently across various sources, it is grammatically incorrect; the accurate and recommended form is "key to success". Ludwig AI analysis shows that the phrase, used to emphasize the critical elements for achieving a goal, is common in scientific, news and media, and formal business contexts. To ensure grammatical correctness and clarity in your writing, it's best to consistently use "key to success" or explore related phrases like "essential for success" or "crucial success factor".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Key to success

Replaces the grammatically incorrect "success" with the prepositional phrase "to success" making it grammatically correct and conveying the same core meaning.

Crucial success factor

Replaces "key" with "crucial" and reverses the order of "success" and "factor" while maintaining the emphasis on a vital element.

Essential for success

Uses "essential" instead of "key" and rephrases as a prepositional phrase to highlight the necessity for achieving a positive result.

Vital ingredient for success

Employs a metaphorical "ingredient" to underscore the importance of a particular element in attaining success.

Important success factor

Substitutes "key" with "important" to convey the significance of a contributing aspect.

Critical for achieving success

Highlights the necessity of a factor for realizing a positive outcome, using a more elaborate and formal structure.

Fundamental to success

Replaces "key" with "fundamental" to emphasize the foundational nature of the element for achieving success.

Cornerstone of success

Uses the metaphor of a "cornerstone" to denote the essential and indispensable role of a factor in building success.

Prime requirement for success

Emphasizes that the factor is a primary condition or necessity for reaching a successful outcome.

Significant success determinant

Replaces "key" with "significant" and "factor" with "determinant" to indicate that the element has a substantial influence on the outcome.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "Key success"?

The grammatically correct way to express this concept is "key to success". This phrasing follows standard English grammar rules.

Is "Key success" grammatically correct?

No, "Key success" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "key to success". Ludwig AI identifies this error.

What are some alternatives to "Key success"?

While "Key success" is commonly used, you can use phrases such as "essential for success", "crucial success factor", or "vital ingredient for success", depending on the context. However, the most straightforward and grammatically sound alternative is "key to success".

Why is "Key success" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "Key success" omits the necessary preposition "to". In English grammar, when "key" functions as an adjective describing something that leads to a result, it requires "to" to connect it to the outcome, hence "key to success".