a big incentive for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a big incentive for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing motivations or reasons that encourage someone to take a specific action or make a decision. Example: "The company offered a big incentive for employees to meet their sales targets, which significantly boosted productivity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

38 human-written examples

This approach creates a big incentive for repentance, reconciliation and renewal.

The Economist

That would be a big incentive for multinational companies to shift jobs and investments overseas.

The New York Times

And they create a big incentive for insurers to maximize sales through aggressive, sometimes unscrupulous, marketing.

The New York Times

The licensing system would be a big incentive for reform of the normally reactionary Football Association.

The Guardian - Sport

Promoting his revisionism was a big incentive for the exhibition's organizers, but hardly the only one.

The New York Times - Arts

This was a big incentive for Russia to ratify the protocol.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

22 human-written examples

Too bad, say Eurocrats; one aim of the reform is to create a bigger incentive for trade accords.

The Economist

Or the government could set a flat rate of 25%, thereby creating a bigger incentive for most people to save, which is meant to be the point of the pensions system.

The Guardian - Business

There was robust consensus that access to the Internet would be a big incentive, particularly for medical grades.

Human Resources for Health

"When you pay what we paid," said John Henry, referring to the $660 million his group paid for the Red Sox, Fenway Park and the New England Sports Network, "you have a big incentive to look for revenues.

The New York Times - Sports

The dynamic at work here is that the affected groups have a big incentive to push for mandates, while most other people are unaware of the specific issues and don't become involved.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a big incentive for", ensure the subject benefiting from the incentive is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify "a big incentive for companies" rather than leaving it open to interpretation.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the influence of the incentive. Instead of saying it guarantees a particular outcome, frame it as increasing the likelihood or providing a stronger motivation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a big incentive for" functions as a noun phrase that identifies a significant motivating factor or encouragement for a specific action or outcome. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Sport

12%

Business

11%

Less common in

Science

8%

HuffPost

6%

TechCrunch

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a big incentive for" is a commonly used phrase to denote a significant motivation or encouragement towards a particular action or outcome. As validated by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and appropriate for use in various contexts, although more formal alternatives may be preferred in certain settings. Analysis of Ludwig's examples shows that the phrase is prevalent in news media, sports reporting and business communication. While acceptable in most cases, overstating the impact of "a big incentive for" should be avoided to maintain accuracy and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a major stimulus for

Replaces "incentive" with "stimulus", focusing on the causal aspect of encouragement; "major" emphasizes the significance.

a substantial motivation for

Substitutes "incentive" with "motivation", highlighting the internal drive; "substantial" reinforces the considerable influence.

a significant impetus for

Uses "impetus" instead of "incentive", suggesting a driving force; "significant" underscores the importance of the push.

a considerable inducement to

Replaces "incentive" with "inducement", implying persuasion; "considerable" enhances the degree of influence.

a powerful encouragement for

Substitutes "incentive" with "encouragement", emphasizing support; "powerful" highlights the strength of the backing.

a compelling reason for

Focuses on the logical aspect by using "reason" instead of "incentive", implying a strong justification.

a notable driver of

Employs "driver" instead of "incentive", signifying a force that propels action; "notable" stresses its recognizability.

a key motivator for

Substitutes "incentive" with "motivator", emphasizing the agent that inspires action; "key" highlights its importance.

a strong catalyst for

Uses "catalyst" instead of "incentive", suggesting something that speeds up a process; "strong" reinforces its effectiveness.

a tempting lure for

Replaces "incentive" with "lure", implying attraction; "tempting" enhances the desirability.

FAQs

How can I use "a big incentive for" in a sentence?

You can use "a big incentive for" to describe something that strongly encourages a particular action. For example, "The bonus was a big incentive for the team to exceed its goals."

What are some alternatives to "a big incentive for"?

You can use alternatives like "a major stimulus for", "a substantial motivation for", or "a significant impetus for" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "a large incentive for" or "a big incentive for"?

Both "a large incentive for" and "a big incentive for" are acceptable, but "a big incentive for" is generally more informal. "A large incentive for" may be preferred in more formal writing.

What's the difference between "a big incentive for" and "a strong incentive for"?

"A big incentive for" emphasizes the size or magnitude of the incentive, while "a strong incentive for" emphasizes its power or effectiveness in motivating action. Both are valid, but the choice depends on the specific aspect you want to highlight.