few marginal changes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "few marginal changes" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to minor adjustments or alterations that are not significant in nature. Example: "After reviewing the report, I found that only a few marginal changes were necessary to improve clarity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Next month, Congress is expected to debate competing legislation that will either substantially change how the NSA and partner agencies do business – for example, by rendering illegal the current practice of collecting phone records in bulk – or make only a few marginal changes.

The Guardian

There were only a few marginal changes in the effect estimates across the various models.

British Journal of Cancer

Overall, there were only a few marginal changes in the effect estimates across the various models, and there was no evidence of heterogeneity among cohorts.

British Medical Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

A few marginal notes and corrections (some in Greek).

Yale University

These average gains understate the marginal changes that matter most.

The Economist

But we are still talking about fairly marginal changes in the labour market as a whole.

The Guardian

At best, they may make marginal changes consistent with their financial interests.

The Guardian - Opinion

Repeated attempts to overturn the policy have led to marginal changes.

The Guardian

Besides the marginal changes in expression levels, FuGENE 6 Transfection Reagent shows very little cytotoxicity.

Nature

Volkow's scanner was equipped to detect even marginal changes in glucose metabolism.

The New York Times - Magazine

Marginal changes in investment strategy can have, he said, a huge impact on investment returns.

Princeton University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "few marginal changes", ensure the context clearly indicates that the changes are indeed minor and do not significantly alter the overall outcome or meaning.

Common error

Avoid using "few marginal changes" if the changes, though small in number, have a significant impact. In such cases, more descriptive phrasing is needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "few marginal changes" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun. "Few" acts as a determiner specifying the quantity of "marginal changes". Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatical and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

44%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "few marginal changes" is a grammatically sound and usable expression indicating that only a small number of alterations have been made, and that those alterations are not significant. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While the phrase appears across various contexts, including news, scientific, and academic writing, alternatives such as "slight modifications" or "minor adjustments" may offer a more common or specific tone. When using "few marginal changes", ensure it accurately reflects the limited impact of the modifications to avoid misrepresentation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight modifications

Replaces "marginal changes" with a more common synonym, focusing on the small nature of the modifications.

minor adjustments

Emphasizes the adjustments are not significant, similar to "marginal changes".

small alterations

Focuses on the alterations being small in scale.

minimal variations

Highlights that the variations from the original state are very small.

negligible differences

Indicates the differences are so small they are almost not worth considering.

inconsequential modifications

Stresses the modifications are not important or impactful.

modest amendments

Highlights the amendments are moderate or limited in scope.

limited revisions

Focuses on the revisions being restricted or few in number.

superficial alterations

Emphasizes that changes are only on the surface and not fundamental.

trivial modifications

Indicates the modifications are unimportant or insignificant.

FAQs

What does "few marginal changes" mean?

The phrase "few marginal changes" indicates that there are only a small number of alterations or modifications, and that these alterations are not significant or impactful.

How can I use "few marginal changes" in a sentence?

You might say, "After the review, we implemented "few marginal changes" to the document to improve its clarity."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "few marginal changes"?

Alternatives include "slight modifications", "minor adjustments", or "small alterations", depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "few marginal changes" in formal writing?

Yes, "few marginal changes" is appropriate for formal writing, but consider alternatives like "minor adjustments" if you want to sound more professional in a specific context.