a substantial error

USAGE SUMMARY

"a substantial error" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant or serious mistake or inaccuracy in something that has been said or written. Example: The report contained a substantial error in the calculation of the company's profits, leading to a drastic overestimation of its success.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

The election would not be over, but we might be at the point where Mr. Obama would have to make a substantial error in order to lose.

The New York Times

If the Advertisement as reproduced by GNM contains a substantial error solely due to a mistake on GNM's part, GNM shall, on request, re-publish the Advertisement at no additional cost to the Advertiser.

The Guardian

This offset is negligible for older samples, but a substantial error in these younger ages.

Quaternary Geochronology

The non-linear horizontal shift of the contaminant trajectory indicates that a substantial error may result when adopting a constant anisotropy factor.

Journal of Hydrology

I was not responsible for the statistical component of the project (statistics is definitely not my forte), but I did notice a substantial error in the data that affected the client's conclusions.

Science Magazine

And if you identify a paper that you think has a substantial error that is not easily fixed, then the authors of this paper will find it hard to not hold a grudge.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

In a more traditional [20, 21] approach, two α β parameters are obtained directly from bulk elastic C11 and C12 constants only, while C44 constant is not a fitting target but rather comes as an output of the 'fitting' process, sometimes resulting in an substantial error of C44[22].

Nanoscale Research Letters

This may indicate a possible substantial error of measurement and/or limited true individual differences and problems of translation associated with the definition of the constructs.

Large-scale Assessments in Education

Beside the blunder of rubbing it in the face of your best friend and ally, there lies a much more substantial error: By expanding settlements instead of separating from the Palestinians while we still can, we Israelis are dooming ourselves to lose the Jewish and democratic state that has been won with so much sacrifice.

The New York Times

We believe that requiring accurate knowledge of the PSF as a prerequisite is problematic and a potential source of substantial error of the partial volume correction, especially in a clinical context, where data sets might undergo individually different postprocessing/smoothing.

EJNMMI Research

So far reviewers haven't picked him up on any substantial errors in the evidence, so has Pinker got all his homework right?

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a substantial error", ensure the context clearly indicates the area in which the error occurred. For example, specify "a substantial error in the data analysis".

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the consequences of "a substantial error" beyond what is realistically supported by evidence. Clearly outline the actual effects and avoid hyperbolic language.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a substantial error" functions as a noun phrase, where "substantial" is an adjective modifying the noun "error". According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is used correctly. It typically serves to identify a significant mistake.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a substantial error" is a commonly used phrase to denote a significant mistake or inaccuracy. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and prevalent usage across scientific and news media contexts. Alternative phrases, such as "a significant mistake" or "a major blunder", offer varied nuances, while it's important to maintain an objective tone and avoid exaggeration when discussing the impact of such errors. Ensure you clarify what area is affected by the error for maximum clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant mistake

Replaces "substantial" with "significant", emphasizing the importance of the error.

a major blunder

Uses "blunder" to denote a more careless or foolish error, intensifying the impact.

a serious inaccuracy

Substitutes "error" with "inaccuracy", highlighting the lack of precision.

a critical flaw

Emphasizes the error as a "flaw" that is fundamental and vital to correct.

a gross miscalculation

Highlights a significant error in calculation or estimation.

a considerable oversight

Focuses on the error as something that was missed or neglected.

a marked deviation

Presents the error as a notable departure from what is expected or correct.

a fundamental defect

Describes the error as a basic and intrinsic problem.

a sweeping generalization

Refers to an error in reasoning where a broad conclusion is drawn from insufficient evidence.

a glaring omission

Highlights an error of leaving something important out, making it very noticeable.

FAQs

How can I use "a substantial error" in a sentence?

You can use "a substantial error" to describe a significant mistake. For example, "The report contained "a substantial error" in its calculations."

What are some alternatives to saying "a substantial error"?

Alternatives include phrases like "a significant mistake", "a major blunder", or "a serious inaccuracy", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "a substantial error" or "a substantive error"?

Both ""a substantial error"" and "a substantive error" are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Substantial" implies a significant or large error, while "substantive" refers to an error that affects the core content or essence.

What's the difference between "a substantial error" and "a considerable error"?

Both phrases suggest a noteworthy mistake, but ""a substantial error"" emphasizes the size or impact of the error, while "a considerable error" highlights the amount or degree of the error.