change where necessary

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "change where necessary" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when instructing someone to make adjustments or modifications as needed in a given context. Example: "Please review the document and change where necessary to ensure accuracy and clarity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It is a mildly encouraging sign that more people are demanding change, where necessary in ways that bypass formal politics.

The Economist

All screened participants received personal written feedback from their GPs, including advice on lifestyle change (where necessary) and information leaflets about a healthy lifestyle.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"We are prepared to make changes where necessary as soon as we could," he said.

The New York Times

It's right that we look at the impact this has on our laws and make any changes where necessary.

The Guardian

In Florida, he noted, "People have lived and learned through so many storms and had the opportunity to make changes where necessary.

The New York Times

Improve its complaints handling and response systems, and introduce changes where necessary.

BBC

Honest coaches don't make excuses; they keep moving on, believing in their abilities and making changes where necessary.

BBC

He added that legislation being considered by Parliament would give councils new powers to address all current licences and make changes where necessary.

BBC

Employers have little more to do than review their risk management in the light of new information received and implement changes where necessary [9].

Environmental Sciences Europe

This is taken by zoologists as evidence that camouflage is influenced by natural selection, as well as demonstrating that it changes where necessary to resemble the local background.

Wikipedia

If the corresponding feature in the database has been changed by another user, Artemis will warn that this has occurred and ask whether to continue with the commit process, thus allowing a forced overwrite of previous changes, where necessary.

Bioinformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "change where necessary", ensure the context clearly defines the criteria for determining what is 'necessary'. This avoids ambiguity and ensures effective modification.

Common error

Avoid using "change where necessary" as a blanket statement without specifying what needs to be changed or the criteria for identifying the necessity. This can lead to confusion and inaction. Instead, provide clear guidelines or examples.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "change where necessary" functions as an adverbial clause modifying a verb. As indicated by Ludwig, it specifies the condition under which a change or modification should be made. This means adjustments are conditional and should only occur when certain criteria are met.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "change where necessary" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression that provides conditional guidance, as affirmed by Ludwig. It functions as an adverbial clause, specifying that modifications should only be made when essential. While versatile enough for various contexts, including news, science, and general instructions, it is crucial to provide sufficient clarity to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "adjust as needed" or "revise where appropriate" can be used for slight variations in tone or emphasis. Remember to be specific and set clear criteria when using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

modify when required

Replaces "change" with "modify" and "necessary" with "required", keeping the core meaning intact.

adjust as needed

Uses "adjust" instead of "change" and "needed" instead of "necessary", resulting in a slightly more concise version.

revise where appropriate

Substitutes "change" with "revise" and "necessary" with "appropriate", suggesting a focus on refinement.

amend when essential

Replaces "change" with "amend" and "necessary" with "essential", emphasizing the importance of the modification.

correct where applicable

Focuses on fixing errors by using "correct" instead of "change" and "applicable" instead of "necessary".

alter when indispensable

Uses a stronger word like "indispensable" in place of "necessary" while using the word "alter" for "change".

adapt where crucial

Suggests adapting something only when extremely important by using the word "crucial".

make alterations as necessary

Rephrases the original structure to place "make alterations" at the beginning, offering a more formal tone.

implement changes when needed

Switches the verb to "implement" and the adjective to "needed", suggesting action and requirement.

make adjustments as required

Uses "adjustments" for "changes" and "required" for "necessary", presenting a formal alternative.

FAQs

How can I use "change where necessary" in a sentence?

You can use "change where necessary" to indicate that modifications should be made only when required. For example, "Please review the document and change where necessary to ensure accuracy".

What is a formal alternative to "change where necessary"?

A more formal alternative is "revise where appropriate", which suggests a careful and considered approach to making alterations.

Is it better to say "change where necessary" or "make changes where necessary"?

Both "change where necessary" and "make changes where necessary" are grammatically correct. The choice depends on the desired emphasis; the latter explicitly mentions "changes", while the former is more concise.

What's the difference between "change where necessary" and "change where appropriate"?

"Change where necessary" implies that changes are only made when essential or required, whereas "change where appropriate" suggests changes should be made when suitable or fitting to the context.