an important incentive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an important incentive" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing motivations or reasons that encourage someone to take a specific action or make a decision. Example: "The company offered an important incentive for employees to meet their sales targets, which significantly boosted productivity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Some legislators argued that the certificate was an important incentive, especially to recent immigrants.

The New York Times

The advent of digital sound in the 1990's eliminated an important incentive for 70-millimeter films.

The New York Times

The members of such a coalition "own so much of the society that they have an important incentive to be actively concerned about how productive it is".

The Economist

Mass transit that would pull up to the dock out back was an important "incentive to buy here," Mr. Schey said of Schaefer Landing, which is on the former site of a Schaefer beer plant.

The New York Times

The prospect of debt restructuring may prove to be an important incentive for countries to accept a temporary exit from the euro (which according to the Maastricht Treaty cannot be imposed upon them).

The New York Times

The indirect effect could be far-reaching: India's success in IT is a national confidence-booster and an important incentive for the engineering colleges mushrooming in south India.Most Indian computer-services companies are at least in fighting form.

The Economist

New York's top court officials will bar the state's hundreds of elected judges from hearing cases involving lawyers and others who make significant contributions to their campaigns, a move that will change the political culture of courts and transform judicial elections by removing an important incentive lawyers have for contributing.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

Interruptible load management (ILM), as an important incentive-based demand response (DR) program, plays a critical role in power system operation.

International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems

Monetary incentives are an important motivator for worker retention, especially in countries where government salaries are insufficient to meet basic needs of health workers and their families [ 24– 27].

BMC Health Services Research

But for Mr. Giddings and like-minded owners, the social dimension of modifying the Leaf is a more important incentive.

The New York Times

"It undermines a very important incentive for immigrants to learn English and become full participants in our society," he said.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "an important incentive", clearly specify what the incentive is and who it is intended to motivate to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "an important incentive" without specifying what the incentive is. Vague references can dilute the motivational effect. Always provide clear details about the incentive to maximize its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an important incentive" functions primarily as a noun phrase within a sentence. It identifies a specific reason or factor that motivates or encourages a particular action or behavior. This is supported by Ludwig, which shows the phrase being used to describe various motivating factors across different contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an important incentive" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase across diverse contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It serves to highlight significant motivating factors or encouragements, and is particularly common in science, news, and business settings. While versatile, it’s best used with specific details about the incentive to maximize its impact. The high frequency and clear meaning of this phrase make it a reliable choice for expressing motivation or encouragement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a key motivating factor

Focuses on the 'motivation' aspect, highlighting the reason behind an action.

a significant encouragement

Emphasizes the 'encouragement' aspect, suggesting something that inspires action.

a major impetus

Highlights the driving force behind an action or decision.

a crucial stimulus

Focuses on the triggering aspect that initiates a response or action.

a vital encouragement

Emphasizes the importance of encouragement, making it essential for progress.

a noteworthy inducement

Stresses the attractiveness or appeal that leads to a particular action.

a considerable stimulus

Highlights the significant effect in prompting action.

a powerful driver

Highlights the forceful or compelling element that propels action.

a primary motivator

Focuses on the main reason for doing something.

a central consideration

Highlights the core aspect that needs to be accounted for when making decisions.

FAQs

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

Use "an important incentive" to highlight a significant motivating factor. For example, "Bonuses are "an important incentive" for employees to increase productivity."

What are some alternatives to "an important incentive"?

You can use phrases like "a key motivating factor", "a significant encouragement", or "a major impetus" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "important incentive" or "an important incentive"?

The inclusion of the article "an" depends on grammatical correctness. Since "important" starts with a vowel sound, "an important incentive" is the grammatically correct choice.

What's the difference between "an important incentive" and "an important motivation"?

"An important incentive" refers to something that encourages action, whereas "an important motivation" refers to the reason or desire that drives someone. While related, "an important motivation" is the internal drive and "an important incentive" is the external factor.