a minimum explains

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a minimum explains" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express that a minimum amount of something provides an explanation, but the structure is awkward and unclear. Example: "The report indicates that a minimum explains the need for further investigation into the data."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"The income that people had before the reforms wasn't based on any sort of scientific study but we've become used to it as a minimum," explains Tunstall.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

While he does a terrific job of addressing the need to keep credit card debt to a minimum, explaining that high interest rates can be a significant drag on achieving your ambitions, he is short on many other specifics.

The New York Times

The analysis was performed using default parameters, requiring a minimum explained variance of 75%, but forcing a minimum of 8 principal components (PCs) to be able to compare the descriptor sets head to head with all others.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Both in the adolescent and the adult sample and both in Wave 1 and Wave 2, the items formed unidimensional scales, with a minimum explained variance of 88%.

Archives of Sexual Behavior

Collymore and Oigara are executives in the private sector and at a minimum, can explain the source of their wealth/worth.

Huffington Post

"The evolutionary process has led to a gene pool that is designed to defend body weight against falling below a minimum," Dr Leibel explains, "but not to defend against gain".All this biology, however, cannot explain one notable feature of the obesity epidemic.

The Economist

At a minimum, they must explain the notation and the equations in the model.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Our study was powered to detect a difference of 8%% as a minimum, which could explain the non-significance of these findings.

Breast Cancer Research

He explains: "A minimum target was set for those firms.

The Guardian - Opinion

And to do something like this, is a minimum of six figures," explains Greenberg.

TechCrunch

We determined that sampler error explains a minimum of 5.5% of the variation in soil bulk density when using a composite coring technique.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the phrase "a minimum explains", rephrase the sentence to clearly state what the minimum value or condition helps to understand or account for. For example, "A minimum threshold clarifies the need for action" is more effective.

Common error

Avoid using "a minimum explains" because it's grammatically awkward and lacks clarity. It's better to specify what the minimum clarifies or accounts for to avoid confusion. Alternatives like "a minimum clarifies" or "the minimum accounts for" provide a clearer and more grammatically correct structure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a minimum explains" attempts to establish a causal relationship, suggesting that a certain minimum value provides a reason or clarification for something. However, this phrasing is generally considered grammatically awkward as Ludwig AI states.

Expression frequency: Rare

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, the phrase "a minimum explains" is grammatically questionable and rarely used, as Ludwig AI points out. While the intent is to convey that a minimum value provides an explanation, better alternatives like "a minimum clarifies" or "the minimum accounts for" offer greater clarity and grammatical correctness. Usage contexts primarily include science and news media, but the phrase's awkwardness suggests it should be avoided in favor of more precise language. When communicating the idea that a minimum threshold is explanatory, opt for clearer, more direct phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a minimum clarifies

Replaces "explains" with "clarifies", suggesting the minimum makes something clearer.

a minimum indicates

Uses "indicates" to show the minimum points to a conclusion or situation.

a minimum reveals

Substitutes "explains" with "reveals", implying the minimum uncovers something previously unknown.

a minimum suggests

Replaces "explains" with "suggests", making the statement less definitive.

a minimum accounts for

Replaces "explains" with "accounts for", focusing on the minimum as a reason or factor.

the minimum clarifies

Adds 'the', focusing on a specific minimum value.

the minimum indicates

Adds 'the', focusing on a specific minimum to indicate something.

the minimum reveals

Adds 'the', emphasizing the disclosure by a specific minimum.

the minimum suggests

Adds 'the', indicating a specific minimum infers something.

the minimum accounts for

Adds 'the', implying a specific minimum is a cause.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "a minimum explains" to improve clarity?

To improve clarity, replace "a minimum explains" with phrases such as "a minimum clarifies", "a minimum indicates", or "the minimum accounts for", depending on the context.

Is "a minimum explains" grammatically correct?

The phrase "a minimum explains" is not grammatically correct and may sound awkward. It's advisable to use more precise language like "a minimum clarifies" or "the minimum indicates" instead.

What's the difference between "a minimum explains" and "a minimum clarifies"?

"A minimum explains" is less clear and grammatically sound compared to "a minimum clarifies". The latter more directly suggests that the minimum value makes something easier to understand.

When is it appropriate to use "a minimum accounts for" instead of "a minimum explains"?

Use "a minimum accounts for" when you want to indicate that a minimum value is a contributing factor or reason for something, rather than simply providing an explanation.