by only altering the

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "by only altering the" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing modifications or changes made to a specific element or aspect of something. Example: "The results can be improved by only altering the temperature settings during the experiment."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The used film was simply regenerated by only altering the applied potential.

Journal of Hazardous Materials

However, this method uses drying process before gelling microparticles, and with that, the size of microparticles was easily controlled by only altering the concentration of ejected solution.

Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces

Consequently, the self-alignment and self-assembly of the droplets are easily performed by only altering the sign of electrical charge of the droplet without any additional operations, which could be exploited in the droplet-based experiments particularly for sequential multi-step droplet merging.

Nano-Micro Letters

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Depending on the trial, these changes of mind were driven either by a barrier change that only altered the relative difficulties of the two options, or by some purely internal process.

eLife

The city says such measures would help protect against the long-term effects of climate change, which by raising sea levels will not only alter the shape of the shoreline but also heighten the severity of flooding from even minor storms.

The New York Times

Yet what we are seeing now is a more concerted effort by architects to take a broad view, countering climate change not only by altering the design of buildings, but also the design of the larger systems in which they function.

The New York Times - Arts

In addition, our studies demonstrate that it is possible to alter the ratio of AUG codon usage not only by altering the length of the 5' leader, but also by changing the nucleotide composition of the 5' leader, or expressing the RNA in different mammalian cell lines.

Plosone

Transcriptome plasticity is conferred not only by altering the concentration levels of transcripts, but also by complex changes in the architecture of transcripts (splice isoforms, editing, transcription start and termination sites).

BMC Genomics

Shannon's work clearly distinguished between gains that could be realized by adopting a different encoding scheme from gains that could be realized only by altering the communication system itself.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As an ancillary service, the whole design can easily realize the transition between economic and non-economic operation only by altering the type of droop control.

Electric Power Systems Research

The properties and uses of this clay mineral can be modified not only by altering the structural Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio (Grygar et al. 2007), but also by replacing the interlayer cations with a variety of inorganic and organic cations (Leungo et al. 2011; Bigi et al. 2000).

Fashion and Textiles

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "by only altering the" when you want to emphasize that a specific result is achieved through a single, controlled modification. This highlights the direct relationship between the change and the outcome.

Common error

Avoid constructing sentences where the actor performing the alteration is unclear. For example, instead of "The results were improved by only altering the temperature", specify who altered the temperature: "The researchers improved the results by only altering the temperature."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by only altering the" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or clause, indicating the specific means by which an action is performed or a result is achieved. It emphasizes that the action is limited to changing or modifying a particular aspect. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

22%

Encyclopedias

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "by only altering the" is a grammatically sound prepositional phrase employed to emphasize that a particular outcome is achieved through a single, deliberate modification. While not exceedingly common, its utility lies in highlighting this specific alteration's direct impact, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in scientific and news contexts, the phrase maintains a neutral to formal tone. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying the actor performing the change and avoid passive constructions. Consider "by simply changing the" as a semantically similar alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

by simply changing the

Replaces "only altering" with "simply changing", suggesting a more straightforward modification.

by merely adjusting the

Substitutes "altering" with "adjusting" and "only" with "merely", emphasizing a slight adjustment.

through just modifying the

Replaces "by" with "through" and "only altering" with "just modifying", highlighting the means of modification.

by exclusively varying the

Replaces "only altering" with "exclusively varying", specifying that only variation is involved.

by singularly adjusting the

Uses "singularly" to emphasize that only one thing is being adjusted.

by exclusively changing the

Replaces "only altering" with "exclusively changing", reinforcing the exclusivity of the change.

by just adapting the

Replaces "altering" with "adapting", suggesting a change to make something suitable.

through merely transforming the

Substitutes "altering" with "transforming" and "only" with "merely", indicating a basic change.

by solely modifying the

Replaces "only altering" with "solely modifying", emphasizing that the modification is the single action.

with just the adjustment of

Restructures the phrase to focus on the adjustment as the means.

FAQs

How can I use "by only altering the" in a sentence?

You can use "by only altering the" to describe how a specific outcome is achieved through a single, controlled change. For instance: "The device's performance was optimized "by only altering the" voltage settings."

What's a more concise way to say "by only altering the"?

Alternatives include phrases like "just by changing the" or "simply by adjusting the". For example, instead of "by only altering the pressure", you could say "just by changing the pressure".

Is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with "by only altering the"?

While grammatically correct, starting a sentence with "by only altering the" can sometimes sound awkward. It often works better as part of a larger clause. For example, "The efficiency was increased "by only altering the" flow rate."

How does "by only altering the" differ from "by altering only the"?

"By only altering the" emphasizes that the change was limited to a single element. "By altering only the" is similar but slightly less emphatic about the exclusivity of the alteration. The choice depends on the desired nuance.