an important advance

USAGE SUMMARY

"an important advance" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a significant achievement in any field – social, technological, scientific, etc. For example, "The introduction of simpler algorithms has been an important advance in computer science research."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That is an important advance.

The Guardian

Such devices potentially represent an important advance.

Treatise on Geomorphology

Critics exalted "Mrs. Dalloway" as an important advance in literature.

The New Yorker

"If they're right, it's going to be an important advance.

The New York Times - Health

The contraceptive coverage is an important advance in public health.

The New York Times

It helped some patients and was considered an important advance at the time.

The New York Times

"That is an important advance, and we should never forget that".

The New York Times

Nucon believes it has made an important advance in being able to cast thick ceramics.

The New York Times - Science

This is an important advance in our ability to support the opposition and help save lives.

The Guardian

It's not so much rational expectations, which I think was an important advance.

The New Yorker

So being able to quickly make the vaccine on site would be an important advance.

MIT Technology Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In academic and scientific writing, follow "an important advance" with concrete data or evidence that supports the claim of significance. This strengthens the credibility of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "an important advance" to describe minor changes or incremental improvements. Reserve this phrase for developments that have a substantial impact or lead to significant breakthroughs.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an important advance" functions as a noun phrase that typically serves as a subject complement or direct object. It describes a significant improvement or breakthrough in a specific area, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

39%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an important advance" is a versatile phrase used to denote substantial progress or breakthroughs across various fields. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English. It is particularly prevalent in scientific and news contexts, as shown by Ludwig's examples. When employing this phrase, ensure the context clearly specifies the area benefiting from the progress. While several alternatives exist, such as "a significant step forward" or "a major breakthrough", "an important advance" maintains a neutral tone suitable for diverse professional and academic settings. The phrase's high frequency and authoritative source support indicate its reliable and effective use in conveying significant developments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant step forward

Uses 'significant' instead of 'important' and 'step forward' instead of 'advance'.

a major breakthrough

Replaces 'advance' with 'breakthrough', implying a more dramatic and sudden improvement.

a key development

Substitutes 'important' with 'key' and 'advance' with 'development', focusing on the essential nature of the progress.

a notable improvement

Employs 'notable' for 'important' and 'improvement' for 'advance', highlighting the positive change.

a considerable progression

Uses 'considerable' instead of 'important' and 'progression' instead of 'advance', emphasizing the extent of the progress.

a substantial leap

Replaces 'advance' with 'leap', suggesting a more significant and rapid progress.

a ground-breaking achievement

Substitutes 'advance' with 'achievement', highlighting the accomplishment aspect, and adds 'ground-breaking' to emphasize its innovative nature.

a pivotal turn

Changes 'advance' to 'turn', implying a critical change in direction or outcome.

a valuable contribution

Focuses on the beneficial aspect of the progress, using 'valuable' and 'contribution'.

a strategic enhancement

Highlights the planned and improved aspect of the development, using 'strategic' and 'enhancement'.

FAQs

How can I use "an important advance" in a sentence?

You can use "an important advance" to describe progress in various fields. For example, "The new algorithm represents "an important advance" in machine learning."

What are some alternatives to "an important advance"?

Alternatives include "a significant step forward", "a major breakthrough", or "a key development", depending on the specific context.

Is "an important advance to" grammatically correct?

The phrase "an important advance to" is usually followed by a verb or noun phrase specifying what the advance contributes to. Ensure the sentence is completed with a clear and logical connection. Example: "This is "an important advance to" our understanding of the topic."

What makes something qualify as "an important advance"?

For something to be considered "an important advance", it should represent a substantial improvement or breakthrough compared to existing methods, technologies, or knowledge in a particular field. It often leads to significant benefits or new possibilities.