a marginal number

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a marginal number" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a quantity that is small or insignificant in comparison to a larger context or total. Example: "In the survey results, only a marginal number of participants expressed dissatisfaction with the service."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Hungary A "marginal number" of inquiries expressing fear after the referendum.

The Guardian

Nevertheless, long-term efficacy has been limited to a marginal number of patients.

Current Opinion in Biotechnology

The results clearly show that only a marginal number of the HCWs in all three fields currently recommend vaccine use for pregnant women and healthy young children.

Vaccine

It's been predictably mixed: fiery giddiness or ice-cold disdain, with a marginal number of standoffish "Let's see what she comes up with this time" comments thrown in for good measure.

The Guardian - Books

Under field conditions, the inoculant R. irregularis MUCL 41833 was detected at a very low level (between 10−5 and 10−7 ng/ ng total DNA) in a marginal number of plants, in contrast to native R. irregularis strains that were detected at higher levels (between 10−4 and 10−6 ng/ ng total DNA) in all plants of the three cultivars.

Applied Soil Ecology

That is a nice jump, but 1.6 million is still a marginal number compared to the desktop productivity apps (on just about every PC) that it is trying to replace.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

It permits a conceptualization of the number needed to treat (e.g., as low as 2 for emergency cesarean delivery in preventing perinatal death given placental abruption and fetal bradycardia) and a calculation of the marginal number needed to treat (i.e., the number of additional medically indicated labour inductions/cesarean deliveries required to prevent one perinatal death).

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

While we were able to demonstrate a slight therapeutic benefit use of phytochemicals in the management of cancer pain, this benefit did not achieve statistical significance, which is a function of both the quality and marginal number of the studies that were acceptable for inclusion in a systematic review.

BioMed Research International

A marginal lower number of 88% was observed in AK lesions compared to normal skin.

BMC Infectious Diseases

The age effect was decomposed as α a = α l a − a ¯ w + α ˜ a, where α l is the age slope, a ¯ w is the average age index (weighted by the marginal number of person-years by age group), and α ˜ a is the age curvature with the linear trend removed.

BMC Cancer

The drift parameter (representing a linear secular trend not exclusively identifiable as a period or cohort effect) was extracted using the weighted average (by marginal number of cases).

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a marginal number", ensure the context clearly establishes what the number is marginal compared to. This adds clarity and impact to your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "a marginal number" when the actual number is substantial or significant. This can mislead the reader and diminish the importance of the information.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a marginal number" functions as a determiner phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a small or insignificant quantity. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a marginal number" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to describe a quantity that is small or insignificant. As Ludwig AI points out, it is suitable for various contexts, although it appears more frequently in scientific and news-related content. When employing this phrase, clarity is key: ensure the context makes clear what the number is marginal compared to. While there are many alternatives, such as "a negligible quantity" or "a small amount", the choice depends on the specific nuance you wish to convey. Always avoid using it when the quantity is, in fact, substantial, to prevent misleading your audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a negligible quantity

Emphasizes the insignificance of the amount.

an insignificant number

Directly states the lack of significance in the count.

a small amount

A simpler and more direct way to express a limited quantity.

a minimal quantity

Indicates the quantity is at the lower limit.

a handful

Implies a quantity small enough to be held in one hand.

a scant few

Highlights the scarcity of the number.

a trifling amount

Stresses the unimportance of the quantity.

a restricted number

Highlights the limited availability.

a sparse amount

Conveys that the quantity is thinly distributed or not abundant.

a fractional number

Suggests the quantity is only a small part of a whole.

FAQs

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

Use "a marginal number" to indicate a small or insignificant quantity compared to a larger total. For example, "A marginal number of students failed the test" suggests that very few students did not pass.

What's a good alternative to "a marginal number"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "a negligible amount", "a small quantity", or "an insignificant number".

Is it always appropriate to use "a marginal number"?

No, it's not. Make sure the quantity you're describing is genuinely small and relatively unimportant in the overall context. If the number is actually significant, using "a marginal number" would be misleading.

How does "a marginal number" differ from "a significant number"?

"A marginal number" indicates a small, almost inconsequential quantity, whereas "a significant number" indicates a quantity large enough to be noteworthy or important. The key difference is in the impact and relative size of the quantity.