a marginal fraction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a marginal fraction" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a very small part or portion of something, often in contexts involving statistics, economics, or analysis. Example: "The study revealed that a marginal fraction of the population was affected by the new policy changes."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Maybe Bezos and Co. will sweat to make drone deliveries function seamlessly even when things inevitably go, awry but even so, they will still only be catering to a marginal fraction of customers with this vanity impulse buy service.

TechCrunch

However this occurred only to a marginal fraction of syntaxin 2 and 3 while the predominant fraction remained in its monomeric 36 kDa form.

Plosone

However, these mismatches only constitute a marginal fraction within the final alignments obtained after filtering of the initial dataset.

Bioinformatics and Biology Insights

As only a marginal fraction of oxidant resistant yeast mutants tolerated a comparably broad spectrum of oxidants in an earlier study (Thorpe et al., 2004), it could be concluded that PYK stimulated a general component of the redox balancing machinery.

Cell Metabolism

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

How the marginal fraction of Amazon drone delivery beta testers live….

TechCrunch

For obvious practical reasons, participatory art of this kind must be a marginal activity: only a fraction of the applicants will be able to fit on to the plinth and it's not yet clear how translatable the concept of an orchestral welfare state is.

The Guardian - Opinion

In contrast to PI staining, staining with Annexin V resulted in a marginal increase in the fraction of positively stained cells.

Cell Death and Disease

There is no substantial difference in the released CO2 fraction (treated/untreated=0.99) and only a marginal decrease in the media C-glutamate fraction in the culture medium (treated/untreated=0.80, P=0.050), indicating that there are no significant changes in the rate of OxPhos.

Cell Death and Disease

A marginal increase in the composite fraction from the presented optimal designs may lead to increase structural integrity by introducing some unquantified merits such as increasing damage tolerance.

Nuclear Engineering and Design

Fitting a linear regression trend line for CBH I (R = 0.63; slope = -0.0877; intersection = 0.74), CBH II (R = 0.99; slope = -0.0933; intersection = 0.64), and EG I (R = 0.53; slope = -0.0913; intersection = 0.62) indicates a marginal correlation between maximum recoverable cellulase fraction and total hydrolyzate lignin concentration.

Biotechnology for Biofuels

We also include new data showing that siPRMT1 and siDHX36 induces similar shifts in MLL1 and MLL4 mRNAs towards lighter polysomal fractions, but exert only a marginal effect on polysomal loading of β-actin mRNA, as compared to control cells.

eLife

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a marginal fraction" when you want to emphasize that something represents a very small and often insignificant portion of a larger whole. This is especially useful in contexts where precision is less important than conveying the small relative size.

Common error

Avoid using "a marginal fraction" when the portion you're describing actually has a significant impact. This phrase minimizes the quantity, so ensure it aligns with the actual effect or importance of what you're discussing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a marginal fraction" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It modifies a noun to indicate a very small or insignificant portion of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a marginal fraction" is a noun phrase used to denote a small, often insignificant portion of a whole. As verified by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and most commonly found in science and news contexts. While related to phrases like "a small percentage" or "a tiny portion", it carries a stronger implication of insignificance. When writing, ensure that the smallness of the fraction aligns with the actual impact being described to avoid misrepresentation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a small percentage

Focuses on the proportional aspect using the term 'percentage'.

a tiny portion

Emphasizes the diminutive size of the portion.

an insignificant amount

Highlights the lack of importance or impact of the amount.

a negligible quantity

Stresses that the quantity is so small it can be disregarded.

a slim fraction

Indicates a small and narrow part of a whole.

a minimal part

Focuses on the very small proportion that it represents.

a trifling share

Implies that the share is unimportant or of little value.

an infinitesimal fragment

Suggests an extremely small and almost immeasurable piece.

a mere sliver

Emphasizes the thin and narrow nature of the portion.

a fractional component

Highlights its role as a small element within a larger whole.

FAQs

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

You can use "a marginal fraction" to describe a small portion or percentage of something, for instance, "A marginal fraction of the population experienced side effects from the medication".

What are some alternatives to "a marginal fraction"?

Alternatives include "a small percentage", "a tiny portion", or "an insignificant amount" depending on the context.

Is "a marginal fraction" the same as "a small fraction"?

While similar, "a marginal fraction" often implies that the fraction is so small as to be almost negligible, whereas "a small fraction" simply indicates a portion that is not large.

When is it appropriate to use "a marginal fraction" instead of "a small amount"?

"A marginal fraction" is best used when referring to a portion of a whole, while "a small amount" is generally used for quantities that aren't necessarily part of a larger set. For example, you might say "a marginal fraction of the budget" but "a small amount of money".