a next trial

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a next trial" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly because "next" already implies the following one, making the article "a" unnecessary. Example: "We will conduct the next trial next week."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

For example: "What do you prefer: 1) €2 right away or 2) €10 in 30 days?" After the choice for the immediately available money, this amount was decreased on a next trial, whereas if the delayed money was preferred, the amount of immediately available money on the next trial was increased (decreasing adjustment algorithm; Du et al. 2002).

Cerebral Cortex

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In addition, corresponding to the adopted "stretching" technique, a new next trial point generating scheme is designed.

Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics

The goal of students with an outcome orientation "in dealing with uncertainty is to predict the outcome of a single next trial" (Konold, 1989, p. 61).

CBE Life Sciences Education

Following a response the next trial was initiated.

Evolution and Human Behavior

Following a response the next trial was initiated with the central fixation dot reappearing.

Evolution and Human Behavior

After a TO period the next trial was restarted by a nose-poke into the magazine.

Genes, Brain and Behavior

A click initiated the next trial, which started with a fixation point at the center of the screen, between the two food objects, for durations ranging from.3 to.7 s.

Eating Behaviors

To prevent potential interference between a completed trial and the start of the next trial, a minimum of 1.5 sec was preprogrammed to pass before the next trial could begin.

Behavioral and Brain Functions

When a subject failed an ATC trial, the next trial was the same duration.

Critical Care

Adjustment was finally confirmed with a mouse click, which initiated the next trial after a 1-s delay.

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics

Before starting the next trial, a blank-screen inter-trial interval with a jitter of.1-.4 s was presented.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the article "a" before "next trial". Use "the next trial" instead for grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Do not assume "next" always needs an article. "Next" already implies a specific, following instance, so using "a" is redundant and grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase functions as a determiner phrase intended to specify a subsequent iteration or event in a series of trials. However, Ludwig AI indicates that the presence of the article "a" makes it grammatically incorrect. Examples show usage in scientific contexts despite this grammatical issue.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

100%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a next trial" is often used to refer to a subsequent iteration in a sequence of events, particularly in scientific and experimental contexts. However, Ludwig AI points out that it's grammatically incorrect due to the unnecessary article "a". The correct form is "the next trial". While examples exist in various sources, it's best practice to use the grammatically correct alternative, such as "the following trial" or "the subsequent trial", to maintain clarity and precision in writing. By understanding the nuances of article usage, writers can ensure their communication is both effective and grammatically sound.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the next trial

Omits the unnecessary article "a" for better grammatical structure.

the following trial

Replaces "next" with "following" to express sequence.

the subsequent trial

Uses "subsequent" to denote a trial coming after another.

an upcoming trial

Emphasizes that the trial is soon to happen.

the ensuing trial

Uses "ensuing" to highlight that the trial follows as a result.

the succeeding trial

Replaces "next" with "succeeding" to indicate sequence.

the later trial

Highlights that the trial occurs at a later time.

the second trial

Uses ordinal number to explicitly refer to the trial after the first one.

the subsequent test

Broader context that replaces 'trial' with 'test'.

the next experiment

Broader context that replaces 'trial' with 'experiment'.

FAQs

How to correctly refer to the trial that comes after the current one?

The correct way to refer to the trial that comes after the current one is to use "the next trial". The article "a" is unnecessary and grammatically incorrect in this context.

Is there any difference in meaning between "a next trial" and "the next trial"?

While the intended meaning is usually clear, "a next trial" is grammatically incorrect. Use "the next trial" for clarity and correctness. It's also possible to use "the following trial".

What are some alternatives to saying "a next trial"?

Instead of "a next trial", you can say "the next trial", "the subsequent trial", or "the upcoming trial".

Why is "a next trial" considered grammatically incorrect?

The term "next" functions as a determiner specifying a particular trial. Determiners do not require an indefinite article. Thus, "the next trial" is correct, while "a next trial" is redundant.