had a small effect on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had a small effect on" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a minor influence or impact that something has had on another thing or situation. Example: "The new policy had a small effect on employee productivity, but overall results remained consistent."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Deaths from non-breast cancer causes in women diagnosed with breast cancer had a small effect on cost effectiveness, and the cost of treating overdiagnosed or metastatic breast cancer had a limited effect.

British Medical Journal

These results showed that referral schemes had a small effect on physical activity, but that 17 patients needed to be referred for one to become moderately active.

BMC Family Practice

The alignment angle had a small effect on scour depth.

Ocean Engineering

Cyclic loading had a small effect on the durability of samples tested in water.

Biomaterials

The incorporation of alumina nanoparticles had a small effect on the crystal structure of syndiotactic polypropylene.

Polymer

Reassuring enough they also found that revision errors, although large, had a small effect on the setting of the targets.

SERIEs

There was also an indication that the surface of the sample had a small effect on rates of volatile evolution.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms

Once again, the slope corresponding to the sensitivity factor was not statistically significant (p > 0.05) and had a small effect on the calibration factor.

EJNMMI Research

However, fallback behavior had a small effect on subsequent tributary entry and exit (P = 0.0530), with fish using tributaries as resting areas after reascending Bonneville Dam after fallback.

Ecological Modelling

CONCLUSION: Mailing of copies of the RCR guidelines had a small effect on general practitioners' use of X-ray investigations of uncertain clinical significance.

Clinical Radiology

Finally, the volumetric mass transfer coefficient was characterized by the significant effect of the agitation speed, while the aeration rate had a small effect on KLa.

Biochemical Engineering Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had a small effect on", ensure that the context clearly indicates what other, potentially larger, factors were at play. This highlights the nuanced impact of the subject in question.

Common error

Avoid using "had a small effect on" when the impact was actually negligible or non-existent. If there's no discernible change, a different phrasing is more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had a small effect on" functions as a verb phrase indicating a causal relationship where one thing influences another to a minor degree. As Ludwig AI confirms, it accurately describes a situation where the impact is present but not substantial. It's often used to qualify the extent of an influence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

98%

News & Media

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had a small effect on" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase, as Ludwig AI confirms, particularly in scientific and formal writing. It serves to indicate a minor influence or impact, often in situations where other factors are more significant. The phrase is best used when you want to downplay the importance of a variable while still acknowledging its presence. While versatile, overstating the impact when it is negligible should be avoided. Alternatives like "exerted a slight influence on" or "produced a minimal impact on" can be used to add variety, although the core meaning remains consistent.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had a limited influence on

Replaces "small" with "limited", indicating a restriction in scope or degree of influence.

exerted a slight influence on

Replaces "effect" with "influence" and "small" with "slight", indicating a minor impact.

produced a minimal impact on

Substitutes "effect" with "impact" and "small" with "minimal", conveying a sense of very little change.

created a subtle difference in

Substitutes "effect" with "difference" and "small" with "subtle", implying a delicate or understated change.

caused a negligible alteration to

Replaces "effect" with "alteration" and "small" with "negligible", suggesting a barely noticeable change.

brought about a modest change to

Replaces "effect" with "change" and "small" with "modest", suggesting a moderate alteration.

had a marginal bearing on

Uses "bearing" instead of "effect" and "marginal" instead of "small", indicating a limited relevance.

slightly impacted

Uses "impacted" as a verb instead of "had a small effect", providing a more concise phrasing.

had a faint impact on

Uses "faint" instead of "small", emphasizing the weakness or lack of clarity of the impact.

affected to a limited extent

Employs a more formal tone and highlights the restricted degree of the effect.

FAQs

What does "had a small effect on" mean?

It means that something influenced or changed something else to a minor degree; the impact was not substantial or significant.

What can I say instead of "had a small effect on"?

You can use alternatives like "exerted a slight influence on", "produced a minimal impact on", or "caused a negligible alteration to" depending on the specific context.

Is "had a small effect on" formal or informal?

The phrase "had a small effect on" is suitable for both formal and informal writing, though it is commonly seen in scientific and academic texts due to its descriptive nature.

How do I use "had a small effect on" in a sentence?

Here's an example: "The new policy "had a small effect on" employee productivity, but overall results remained consistent."