a little improved

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a little improved" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a slight enhancement or betterment in a situation, object, or condition. Example: "After implementing the new strategy, our sales figures are a little improved compared to last quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

The New York Times - Books

Applied Acoustics

The New York Times

BMC Infectious Diseases

The Economist

Acta Orthopaedica

The New Yorker

Forbes

Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications

The New York Times

BBC

The New York Times - Sports

The New York Times

WikiHow

TechCrunch

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

The Guardian - Opinion

The New York Times

Catalysis Today

BMC Infectious Diseases

Independent

The Guardian - Lifestyle

TechCrunch

Huffington Post

WikiHow

BMC Ophthalmology

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The seven response options were: 1) very much improved, 2) much improved, 3) a little improved, 4) no change, 5) a little deterioration, 6) much deterioration, 7) very much deterioration.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

We considered patients choosing response option 1 2 ("very much improved" and "much improved") on the GPE-scale as "importantly improved" and those choosing option 3 5 ("a little improved", "no change" and "a little deterioration") as "stable".

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

When responding to the MCII anchor question "Overall, how are the problems now in the hip on which you had surgery, compared to before your operation?", most patients (88%) considered themselves much improved and 77 patients (6%) considered themselves a little improved 1 year after THA (Table 6, see Supplementary data).

Acta Orthopaedica

We serve as trustees for the wisdom of the ages and are obliged to pass it down, a little improved, to our descendents.

The New Yorker

Its second-quarter results were a little improved, as losses narrowed to $30.9 million on sales of $4.1 million.

Forbes

The maximum errors are greatly reduced to ±0.1 mm, and the errors are a little improved compared with Fig. 4 for the LSM including lens distortion.

Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Then he engages her in a little improving dialectic: Olivia.

The New York Times - Books

In addition, the same absorbers prove their efficiency to reduce the cutting time when the feed rate was doubled accompanied by a little improving of the dynamic behavior of milling tool.

Applied Acoustics

And for an Air Force little improved from the one our fathers knew.

The New York Times

Determination of the minimal important difference in quality of life was derived from calculation of the pre-treatment (time 1) and post-treatment (time 2, time 3) change in QoL score that corresponded with an OTE rating [ 2, 3] of a condition 'a little improved' or 'somewhat improved'.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Despite all the peace talks and peace plans launched since the region's last war 30 years ago, the hopes for a lasting settlement seem little improved since that fateful Yom Kippur in 1973.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "a little improved" with specific details to provide context, such as "The software's loading speed is a little improved after the update."

Common error

Avoid using "a little improved" when the change is substantial. Opt for phrases like "significantly better" or "considerably enhanced" to accurately reflect the magnitude of the progress.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a little improved" primarily functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate that something has undergone a slight positive change. Ludwig examples show its use in describing conditions, results, and performance.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

26%

Science

24%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a little improved" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that describes a slight enhancement or betterment. Ludwig examples demonstrate its use in diverse contexts, from health outcomes to product performance. The phrase is considered neutral in register, making it suitable for various communication settings. While not extremely common, its usage is consistent across reputable sources like The New York Times, The Economist, and BBC. Ludwig AI affirms the phrase's validity, recommending it for situations where a modest level of progress needs to be conveyed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Slightly better

Indicates a minimal degree of improvement, focusing on the comparative quality.

Marginally enhanced

Highlights a small degree of enhancement, emphasizing the augmentation aspect.

Somewhat ameliorated

Suggests a slight lessening of negative conditions, stressing the relief aspect.

A tad upgraded

Emphasizes a small-scale upgrade, focusing on the advancement to a better state.

Minimally refined

Highlights a small degree of refinement, emphasizing the enhancement by purification.

Perceptibly advanced

Focuses on the noticeable, yet modest, progress made.

Barely progressed

Underlines the minimal advancement, emphasizing the small step forward.

Inching forward

Depicts progress as slow and gradual, using a more figurative expression.

Lightly boosted

Highlights a slight increase or encouragement, focusing on the uplifting aspect.

A shade better

Indicates a very slight improvement, using a more colloquial expression.

FAQs

How can I use "a little improved" in a sentence?

Use "a little improved" to describe something that has shown slight progress or betterment, for example, "After the therapy, his condition is "a little improved"".

What can I say instead of "a little improved"?

You can use alternatives like "slightly better", "marginally enhanced", or "somewhat ameliorated" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "a little improving" instead of "a little improved"?

While "a little improving" can be used in some contexts, ""a little improved"" is generally preferred when describing the state of something after an action or change. "A little improving" suggests an ongoing process rather than a completed state.

What's the difference between "a little improved" and "slightly improved"?

"A little improved" and "slightly improved" are very similar in meaning. Both indicate a small degree of betterment. The choice often depends on stylistic preference, though "slightly improved" might be perceived as slightly more formal.