a substantial fall

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a substantial fall" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant decrease in quantity, value, or level in various contexts, such as finance, temperature, or attendance. Example: "The company reported a substantial fall in profits this quarter compared to last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

Nevertheless, these warnings led to a substantial fall in vaccination rates, and an increase in cases of measles.

The Guardian

The market has been looking frothy for a good while now, and a substantial fall was inevitable at some point.

The New Yorker

A substantial fall in enzyme activity was observed following incubation of the enzyme with peptide II, whereas peptide I did not show any appreciable inhibition.

FEBS Letters

Until now, the brighter sales figures haven't translated into a substantial fall in the unemployment rate, which is the economic indicator that political strategists watch most closely.

The New Yorker

One day, balance will be restored in line with the basic laws of economics — perhaps chaotically, and probably via a substantial fall in the dollar's value.

The New York Times

The resulting dramatic fall in investments has led to a substantial fall in economic growth from 6%-76%-7% per capita terms) per year to under 4%.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

To return to first principles, most onlookers would probably concede that the modern view of being "educated", whatever it is, represents a substantial falling-off from the standards of the later 19th century.

Independent

There is a substantial fall-off in risk of autism for second- and third-degree relatives of autistic probands [ 9], and some predict that alleles of 10 to 100 or more genes, each of small effect, may underlie the autistic phenotype [ 10, 11].

BMC Psychiatry

HERE is something for which to be thankful weekly jobless claims posted a substantial decline last week, falling to 466,000.

The Economist

Starbucks shares traded at $36 a year ago, so the current price represents a substantial decline, due to falling foot traffic, price increases and fears of a slowing economy.

Forbes

Its economist, Bob Pannell, predicts a "fairly substantial" fall in buy-to-let lending in 2017, suggesting that 2015 may turn out to have been "peak buy to let" year.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing data, ensure the magnitude of the "substantial fall" is clear, either through percentages or specific numbers to add precision.

Common error

Avoid using "a substantial fall" in very informal settings. Simpler terms like "big drop" or "significant decrease" might be more appropriate depending on the audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a substantial fall" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a significant reduction or decline. Ludwig AI examples showcase its use across diverse subjects.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

56%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a substantial fall" is a versatile expression used to describe a significant decrease or decline. As shown by Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and most frequently found in news and scientific contexts. The phrase serves to report or describe and can be used objectively. While generally appropriate, be mindful of using simpler language in informal settings. The Ludwig AI analysis confirms the phrase's validity and common usage across various domains, making it a reliable choice for formal writing and reporting.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant drop

Replaces "fall" with "drop" and "substantial" with "significant", both indicating a notable decrease.

a considerable decline

Substitutes "substantial" with "considerable" and "fall" with "decline", maintaining the sense of a significant reduction.

a marked decrease

Uses "marked" instead of "substantial" and "decrease" instead of "fall", highlighting a noticeable reduction.

a sharp reduction

Replaces "substantial" with "sharp", emphasizing the abruptness and magnitude of the decrease, and "fall" with "reduction".

a significant downturn

Substitutes "fall" with "downturn", typically used in economic or business contexts, while retaining "significant".

a notable decline

Uses "notable" in place of "substantial", indicating something worthy of attention, while replacing "fall" with "decline".

a considerable drop

Combines "considerable" and "drop" to convey a noteworthy reduction, differing slightly in tone from the original.

a major decrease

Substitutes "substantial" with "major" to emphasize the scale of the decrease, differing only slightly.

a large decline

Utilizes "large" instead of "substantial", keeping the meaning of a significant decrease but with a simpler word choice and replacing "fall" with "decline".

a steep decline

Emphasizes the rapidity and severity of the decline using "steep", adding a sense of urgency and replacing "fall" with "decline".

FAQs

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

You can use "a substantial fall" to describe a significant decrease in quantity, value, or level. For example, "The company experienced "a substantial fall" in profits this year".

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

Alternatives include "a significant drop", "a considerable decline", or "a marked decrease". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it more appropriate to use "substantial decrease" or "substantial fall"?

Both "substantial decrease" and "substantial fall" are correct and can be used interchangeably. The choice often depends on stylistic preference and the specific context. "Decrease" is often used for abstract concepts, while "fall" can be used for more concrete things.

When should I avoid using the phrase "a substantial fall"?

While grammatically correct, consider using simpler language in very informal contexts. Phrases like "big drop" or "significant decrease" may be more suitable for casual conversations.