a marginal change

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a marginal change" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a small or insignificant alteration in a situation, process, or data set. Example: "The new policy resulted in a marginal change in employee productivity, which was not enough to justify the costs."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

Later came co-firing, a marginal change.

The Economist

But at least in the reality of a marginal change in pay, it's not going to be compensation enough to make that worthwhile.

Harvard Business Review

The effect of heat conduction is confined to a very thin boundary layer near the exit, where it causes a marginal change in the temperature.

Chemical Engineering Science

In the post-monsoon season, there is a marginal change in the flash density between El-Nino and the Non-ENSO.

Advances in Space Research

The Kuwaiti oil minister, Sheik Saud Nasser al-Sabah, said that oil markets were adequately supplied and that the nation would back a "marginal" change of about 500,000 barrels a day, the official KUNA news agency said.

The New York Times

Net income was 14.7 billion yuan ($1.8 billion), or 0.18 yuan a share, a marginal change from 14.7 billion yuan, or 0.19 yuan, a year earlier, the company said in a statement.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

Having looked on the limit in the qualifier, the second round ride was as smooth as could be expected, with barely a gap to be seen between the four bikes and not a single marginal change.

The Guardian - Sport

They also estimated the effects of a specific, "marginal" change in pollution: the difference between actual pollution and, what pollution would have been had there been either with a 10% or a 100% reduction in motor vehicle-related emissions.

Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation

Here, an only marginal change of the emission ratio was detected, which was clearly independent of the DOT level.

BMC Biology

For CELP, there were significant positive changes in MMSE (mean change 2.67, P = 0.04), DRS (mean change 4.67, P = 0.03), and BAPM (mean change −0.26, P = 0.03), respectively, as well as a marginal significant change in HKLLT (mean change 4.17, P = 0.06).

Clinical interventions in aging

Increased marginal attenuation of the hydrologic response of a watershed is primarily a function of the marginal change in conserved area of a watershed.

Environmental Management

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a marginal change", ensure the context reflects a situation where the change is genuinely small and not impactful. This maintains clarity and prevents overstating the effect.

Common error

Avoid using "a marginal change" when the actual effect is significant. Using it inappropriately can undermine your credibility by minimizing what truly matters.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a marginal change" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes the extent of an alteration or difference, indicating it is small or insignificant. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through various examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

29%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a marginal change" is a noun phrase used to describe a slight or insignificant alteration. According to Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and frequently appears in scientific, news, and business contexts. The expert rating confirms its appropriate use across reputable sources. When using the phrase, ensure the context accurately reflects the change's minimal impact to maintain credibility. Be mindful of alternative expressions like "slight difference" or "minor adjustment" to enhance clarity, as demonstrated by the diverse examples provided.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a slight modification

Emphasizes the act of modifying something slightly.

a minor adjustment

Highlights the act of adjusting something to a small degree.

a small alteration

Focuses on the alteration itself being small.

a negligible difference

Indicates that the difference is so small it's practically unimportant.

a minimal variation

Stresses that the variation observed is at its lowest degree.

a subtle shift

Implies a change that is delicate or understated.

a trivial adjustment

Stresses the insignificance of the adjustment.

a barely perceptible change

Highlights how difficult it is to notice the change.

an insignificant modification

Expresses that the modification done is essentially unimportant.

a modest adjustment

Suggests that the modification made is humble in its scope.

FAQs

How can I use "a marginal change" in a sentence?

Use "a marginal change" to describe a small or insignificant difference. For example, "The new software update resulted in "a marginal change" in processing speed".

What are some alternatives to "a marginal change"?

You can use alternatives like "a slight difference", "a minor adjustment", or "a negligible impact" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "a marginal change" in formal writing?

Yes, "a marginal change" is suitable for formal writing, particularly in reports or analyses where precision is important. However, ensure that the context indeed reflects a small and unimportant change.

What's the difference between "a marginal change" and "a significant change"?

"A marginal change" refers to a small, often unimportant difference, while "a significant change" indicates a large or important alteration. The choice depends on the magnitude of the effect you're describing.