a minimal alteration

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a minimal alteration" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It refers to a small change or adjustment that does not have a significant impact on the overall situation. Example: "The designer suggested a minimal alteration to the layout of the website, which improved its user-friendliness without compromising the overall design."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

These mutants had relatively little effect on the ability of the tDNA to block progression of SUT467 (lanes 2 and 3 compared to wild type in lane 1) as evidenced by a minimal alteration of the ratio of normal to extended transcripts.

Genetics

The inclusion criteria were: (1) patients graded as type A according to Charnley's classification and who underwent unilateral THA for a unilateral primary osteoarthritis; (2) a minimal alteration in the 3-D value of the FO of 15%, as measured on the preoperative CT-scan; and (3) a signed consent from the patient to use previous medical data for research purposes.

Acta Orthopaedica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In close agreement with previous reports regarding other cell types (Buytaert et al, 2008; Sanovic et al, 2009; Kammerer et al, 2011), the major transcript changes were determined for genes encoding stress response with a striking minimal alteration for cytokines and chemokines associated with tissue damage (Supplementary Table 1).

British Journal of Cancer

The C-47 could be converted to a glider configuration with minimal alteration to the airframe, and would provide the required capacity.

Wikipedia

It is likely that instruments to assess dissaving could be used across a wide range of illnesses with minimal alteration, whereas patient cost questionnaires require substantial adaptation to reflect specific care-seeking and treatment pathways.

BMC Health Services Research

Thus, the role of Ctgf expression in fibrosis remains unclear and there is a need for animal models with variable Ctgf expression in which there is minimal alteration in the natural transcriptional regulation to clarify how altered Ctgf expression levels may predispose or change the progression of heart disease and other fibrotic diseases.

Plosone

A significant advantage of this protocol is the minimal alteration to the conventional ChIP-seq workflow and simple bioinformatic processing.

eLife

In this resource (using a Z threshold value of 2.0) there was minimal alteration in FRS2 or FRS3 expression.

BMC Cancer

Given that all democratic elections cost money, this is a perilous argument to pursue very far (it cannot be a good sign that the same poster could be used, with minimal alteration, by the Qaddafi regime on the streets of Tripoli .Talking past each otherThe Yes and No camps bellow and roar about the marvellous or horrible consequences of AV.

The Economist

A somewhat indirect but readily accessible approach is isotopically labeling the protein (C, N, and H for most nonexchanging positions), creating a "Born Oppenheimer enzyme", which slows the fast vibrations in question with minimal alteration of the electronic potential surface.

Accounts of Chemical Research

Props in B movies made their way from jungle films to westerns with minimal alteration: "Historians of the 'real' old West sometimes find such compromises to be maddening," one label playfully points out, "but as the saying goes, 'That's Hollywood!' " So for all the memorabilia, there is no chance here that illusion will be left intact.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the extent of a change, use "a minimal alteration" to emphasize that the core functionality or appearance remains largely the same.

Common error

Avoid using "a minimal alteration" when the change significantly impacts the subject. If the change is substantial, opt for phrases like "significant overhaul" or "major redesign" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a minimal alteration" functions as a noun phrase, where "minimal" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "alteration". It typically serves to describe the extent or degree of a change made to something, emphasizing its limited impact, as Ludwig shows.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

22%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a minimal alteration" is a grammatically correct and infrequent expression used to describe a small change or modification. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides various examples from science, news, and general contexts. It's suitable for neutral to formal registers and is often used to emphasize the limited impact of a change. When using the phrase, ensure that the alteration genuinely has a small impact and consider related phrases like "slight adjustment" or "minor modification" for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a slight adjustment

Focuses on the act of adjusting something slightly, emphasizing the fineness of the change.

a minor modification

Highlights the small scale of the modification made.

a subtle change

Emphasizes the understated nature of the alteration, suggesting it might not be immediately noticeable.

a marginal difference

Indicates that the alteration results in only a small difference.

a negligible adjustment

Suggests the adjustment is so small it's almost not worth considering.

a small refinement

Implies the alteration is an improvement or enhancement, albeit a small one.

a modest variation

Highlights the limited extent of the change or variation.

a trivial amendment

Suggests the amendment is unimportant or inconsequential.

a superficial adjustment

Highlights how the adaptation affects only the superficial characteristics.

a cosmetic alteration

Implies the alteration is primarily for aesthetic purposes.

FAQs

How can I use "a minimal alteration" in a sentence?

You can use "a minimal alteration" to describe a small change that doesn't significantly affect the overall outcome. For example, "The software update involved "a minimal alteration" to the user interface."

What are some synonyms for "a minimal alteration"?

Synonyms include "a slight adjustment", "a minor modification", or "a subtle change". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "minimal change" or "a minimal alteration"?

Both "minimal change" and "a minimal alteration" are grammatically correct. "A minimal alteration" is generally more formal and emphasizes the act of altering something, while "minimal change" is more direct and focuses on the result.

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

"A minimal alteration" implies a small, often inconsequential change. "A significant change", on the other hand, indicates a large, impactful modification. They represent opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of the magnitude of the change.