a modest change to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a modest change to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a small or minor adjustment or modification to something. Example: "The committee proposed a modest change to the existing policy to improve its effectiveness."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

But the administration says it is seeking only a modest change to the treaty.

The New York Times

Being innocent of that experience, I suggested a modest change to address his concern.

The New Yorker

Administration officials said Mr. Blair had played a constructive role with Mr. Putin by asking him to think seriously about the threat from "rogue" nations and also emphasizing that the administration wanted just a modest change to the ABM treaty that would keep its spirit intact.

The New York Times

Through photoabsorption and Auger emission, a typical XFEL pulse strips about three electrons from each carbon atom, with only a modest change to the x-ray diffraction pattern.

Advanced Structural and Chemical Imaging

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Letting liability of dropping out in addition depend weakly on follow-up health with a bdrop = .10 (an MNAR situation), only made a very modest change to the estimate of the association between predictor and change in health (bpred = .12, and coverage of the 95% C.I. = 90).

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Whilst a highly curved (as in ribonuclease inhibitor LRR structure) could not interact with the fibril surface without substantial steric overlap, the decoron molecular structure embraces multiple collagen monomers with only a very modest change to its radius of curvature (Figure 4).

Plosone

One of the present bloggers (Bailey), by making a few modest changes to his home, was able to reduce his electrical consumption by a factor of three, and his bill by a factor of five.

Huffington Post

These new findings raise an important point with regard to the need to translate what appears to be a modest change in respiratory chain function to the pathobiology of NASH.

Biochemical Journal

Interestingly, the 4p-PTEN phosphatase domain appears to undergo a modest change in shape relative to t-PTEN and n-PTEN.

eLife

Altitude hypoxia reduces the overall mitochondrial volume by 20%, but with a preferential reduction in sub-sarcolemmal mitochondria (-43%) [ 33] compared to a modest change in the intra-myofibrilar mitochondria (-13%), a finding strikingly similar to the mitochondrial defects observed in type 2 diabetes [ 6].

BMC Genomics

We add to this literature by suggesting a series of modest changes to the presentation of the data and to the findings of epidemiological studies that will encourage the accurate use of this information in quantitative risk assessments and, at the same time, benefit those epidemiologists who undertake meta-analyses.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a modest change to", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being changed and the area affected by the change. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures clarity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the significance of "a modest change to". Ensure your description accurately reflects the minor nature of the adjustment to maintain credibility and avoid misleading the audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a modest change to" functions as a prepositional phrase, often used adjectivally to describe the nature or extent of an adjustment or modification made to something. It describes the scale of the change. As per Ludwig AI, it's a usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

47%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a modest change to" is a prepositional phrase used to describe a small or minor alteration. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts. When using this phrase, be sure to accurately represent the scale of the change and avoid exaggerating its impact. Alternatives include "a slight modification to" and "a minor adjustment to". Its frequency is uncommon, but it is widely found across different areas, as in news, scientific and business sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a slight modification to

Replaces "modest change" with "slight modification", emphasizing the small degree of alteration.

a minor adjustment to

Substitutes "modest change" with "minor adjustment", highlighting the insignificance of the alteration.

a small alteration to

Replaces "modest change" with "small alteration", focusing on the diminutive nature of the change.

a marginal difference in

Shifts from change to "marginal difference", emphasizing the minimal impact of the variation.

a subtle variation in

Replaces "modest change" with "subtle variation", highlighting the inconspicuous nature of the difference.

a limited adjustment to

Replaces "modest change" with "limited adjustment", emphasizing the constraints on the alteration.

a minimal amendment to

Substitutes "modest change" with "minimal amendment", focusing on the formal and legal nature of the alteration.

a cosmetic alteration to

Adds the adjective "cosmetic" to "alteration", implying that the change is superficial.

a tweak to

Replaces the entire phrase with "a tweak to", offering a more informal and concise alternative.

a gentle shift in

Replaces "modest change" with "gentle shift", emphasizing a smooth and gradual alteration.

FAQs

How can I use "a modest change to" in a sentence?

You can use "a modest change to" to describe a small adjustment or alteration made to something. For example: "The committee proposed "a modest change to" the existing policy."

What are some alternatives to "a modest change to"?

Some alternatives include "a slight modification to", "a minor adjustment to", or "a small alteration to", depending on the context.

Is "a modest change to" formal or informal?

"A modest change to" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in highly formal settings, you might prefer alternatives such as "a limited adjustment to" or "a minimal amendment to".

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

"A modest change to" indicates a small, minor alteration, while "a significant change to" implies a substantial, major alteration. The choice depends on the magnitude of the change you are describing.