a small alteration

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a small alteration" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use this phrase to refer to a small change made to something such as a plan, policy, object, or routine. For example: "We had to make a small alteration to our production plan this week."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Please be careful in altering the ingredients because a small alteration can change the name of the recipe.

WikiHow

Eventually he tracked the difference down to a small alteration he had inadvertently made in transferring the initial data, by altering the number of decimal places.

BBC

Sometimes it's a small alteration.

Yale University

With a small alteration of Nets to Mets, this pithy saying applies today.

The New York Times - Sports

Even a small alteration in trade — a strike, slowdown or other protest in Mexico, for example — could hit consumers, who expect fruits and vegetables in the produce aisles year-round, regardless of growing seasons.

Los Angeles Times

However, many of these genes only showed a small alteration in expression level between antibiotic treated and control animals.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

According to a number of surgeons, the transverse laparotomy offers some advantages compared to the midline laparotomy, such as a less postoperative pain, a smaller alteration of the respiratory function, and better aesthetic results.

BioMed Research International

One radiology educational consequence has been that the drop in diagnostic angiography has led to more limited opportunities to acquire basic vascular skills although this is a small change compared to other alterations in interventional vascular radiology training.

Insights into Imaging

We also found the lasing mode is switchable upon a very small alteration in the refractive index of the materials present in the photonic crystal.

Photonics and Nanostructures - Fundamentals and Applications

Critically, we demonstrated that a very small alteration in the level of BAX was the difference between prolonged cell survival and rapid onset cell death.

BMC Cancer

The review procedure was pre-tested on 100 patient records in one general practice, resulting in a few small alterations to the review form.

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a small alteration", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being altered and the degree to which it is being changed. Be specific to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "a small alteration" when the change significantly impacts the outcome. Use stronger terms like "significant modification" or "major change" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a small alteration" functions primarily as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object in a sentence. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

53%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a small alteration" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. It's an effective way to describe a minor change or adjustment. While the phrase appears across multiple source types, it is more frequently used in Science and News & Media. When using this phrase, ensure that the context makes it clear what is being altered and the extent of the change. Be wary of using it when a more significant change has occurred, as stronger wording would be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a minor adjustment

Replaces "alteration" with "adjustment", implying a slight modification.

a slight modification

Substitutes "small" with "slight" and "alteration" with "modification", both indicating a minor change.

a subtle change

Replaces "small alteration" with "subtle change", suggesting a barely noticeable difference.

a minimal variation

Uses "minimal" instead of "small" and "variation" instead of "alteration", conveying a very limited degree of change.

a tiny modification

Replaces "small" with "tiny" and "alteration" with "modification" emphasizing the reduced scale of the alteration.

a modest adjustment

Uses "modest" instead of "small" to describe the adjustment, implying a moderate amount of change.

a minor amendment

Replaces "alteration" with "amendment", implying a formal or official change that is not big.

a fractional shift

Changes to "fractional shift", highlighting the incremental aspect of the change.

a negligible difference

Substitutes the entire phrase with one emphasizing the insignificance of the difference.

a cosmetic change

Highlights that the changes is superficial and does not affect primary function or core.

FAQs

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

You can use "a small alteration" to describe a minor change or adjustment made to something. For example, "We made "a small alteration" to the design to improve its functionality."

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

"A small alteration" implies a minor, often subtle, change, while "a significant change" indicates a major or impactful modification.

What can I say instead of "a small alteration"?

You can use alternatives like "a minor adjustment", "a slight modification", or "a subtle change" depending on the context.

Is "a small alteration" formal or informal language?

"A small alteration" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of your writing.