a valuable distinction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a valuable distinction" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when highlighting an important difference or differentiation between two or more concepts, ideas, or items. Example: "In the debate about climate change, it's a valuable distinction to recognize the difference between climate variability and climate change."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Santoro begins with a valuable distinction.

The New York Times - Books

Susanna Rustin makes a valuable distinction in her article (Nobody's hero, 14 June): those who use social media to submit anonymous violent threats (such as those Caroline Crecentlyrez recently had to endure) need and deserve to be treated as criminals.

The Guardian

City planners, elected officials and emergency-management types must deal with the city as it is, and on Monday evening everyone knew that a couple of inches of snow were about to fall on a region with patchy public transport.Earlier in her piece, however, Ms Burns makes a valuable distinction between Atlanta, the city of 444,000 people and Atlanta the region of 6m.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

For YouTube's part this has grown to be a very valuable distinction.

TechCrunch

So, for example, the slippage that allows "infer" to mean "imply" weakens the valuable distinction between a person's drawing a conclusion and an argument's requiring one.

The New York Times

It is perfectly appropriate and clinically preferable to continue making the valuable distinction between Substance Dependence and Substance Abuse.

Huffington Post

A) Valuable.

Huffington Post

Like the notion of direction of fit, however, the notion of conditions of satisfaction is too coarse-grained to enable us to make some valuable distinctions among speech acts.

SEP

These considerations implicate CpG methylation analysis as a valuable tool for the distinction of committed human Tregs in both clinical and in vitro systems.

Plosone

While identification of equivalogs within such families usually relies on phylogenetic analysis, gene context analysis using different types of protein clusters can be a valuable tool for the distinction between orthologous and paralogous genes.

Plosone

This is an important distinction, and a valuable protection, not just for the occupants of Shoesmith's former role, directors of children's services, but for public servants generally.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a valuable distinction" when you want to emphasize the importance of recognizing a difference between two or more concepts, ideas, or items. It suggests that understanding this difference is beneficial or crucial.

Common error

Avoid using "a valuable distinction" excessively in your writing. While it's a useful phrase, overuse can make your writing sound repetitive and less impactful. Vary your language by using synonyms like "an important difference" or "a significant differentiation" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a valuable distinction" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or an object of a preposition. It identifies a specific kind of difference that is considered to be important or advantageous to recognize. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a valuable distinction" is a grammatically sound and useful expression for highlighting the significance of a particular difference. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for use in formal and professional writing, especially where precision and clarity are crucial. While the phrase is correct and common, varying your language with alternatives such as "an important difference" or "a significant differentiation" can enhance your writing style. Predominantly found in News & Media and scientific contexts, using this phrase can guide your audience to recognize a key aspect in understanding a particular subject.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an important difference

Replaces "valuable" with "important", emphasizing the significance of the distinction.

a significant differentiation

Uses "significant" and "differentiation" to highlight the importance and act of distinguishing.

a noteworthy difference

Emphasizes the noteworthiness of the distinction.

a meaningful distinction

Highlights that the distinction has importance and meaning.

a key distinction

Indicates the distinction is essential or crucial.

a critical difference

Stresses that the difference is crucial and could have significant consequences.

a crucial differentiation

Replaces "valuable" with "crucial", indicating a vital differentiation.

a substantial difference

Emphasizes the magnitude or degree of the distinction.

a telling distinction

Suggests the distinction reveals something important or insightful.

a revealing difference

Indicates that the distinction uncovers or exposes something.

FAQs

How can I use "a valuable distinction" in a sentence?

Use "a valuable distinction" to emphasize a key difference or point of separation between two concepts or ideas. For example, "In the debate about climate change, it's "a valuable distinction" to recognize the difference between climate variability and climate change".

What are some alternatives to "a valuable distinction"?

You can use alternatives like "an important difference", "a significant differentiation", or "a key distinction" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "a valuable distinction"?

It is appropriate to use ""a valuable distinction"" when you want to highlight a difference that is crucial for understanding or making progress in a discussion or analysis.

Is there a difference between "a valuable distinction" and "an important distinction"?

While both phrases are similar, ""a valuable distinction"" emphasizes the benefit or worth of recognizing the difference, whereas "an important distinction" simply highlights the significance of the difference. The choice depends on whether you want to stress the usefulness or the importance of the distinction.