improve slightly

USAGE SUMMARY

"improve slightly" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You would use this phrase to indicate a slight improvement in a situation or condition. For example, "I'm pleased to report that our sales figures have improved slightly this quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

Conditions are set to improve slightly on Tuesday as millions head back to work.

Independent

Gannett's chief executive, Gracia Martore, suggested that fourth-quarter advertising trends would improve slightly from the third quarter.

The New York Times

"Customer satisfaction may actually improve slightly during the run-up to a bankruptcy filing," said David Van Amburg, the managing director for the University of Michigan index.

The New York Times

Things improve slightly from there, in that England start landing bat on ball, but they get only singles, three of them.

The Guardian - Sport

"We believe that full-year 2002 industry operating performance will improve slightly versus 2001," said Mark Lomanno, the president of Smith Travel Research.

The New York Times

Though they expect growth to improve slightly this year, it might not be enough to create jobs until the spring or summer.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

Business has since improved, slightly.

The Economist

My process has improved slightly.

The New Yorker

Material conditions improved slightly during the 1970s.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Things improved slightly, but not for long.

The New Yorker

Regents test scores also improved slightly.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "improve slightly" when you want to indicate a small, but noticeable, positive change. Avoid using it for drastic improvements.

Common error

Be careful not to use "improve slightly" when the change is significant or substantial. It's best suited for minor enhancements or marginal gains.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "improve slightly" functions as a verb phrase, where "improve" is the main verb and "slightly" is an adverb modifying the verb to indicate the degree of improvement. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "improve slightly" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe a minor positive change. As verified by Ludwig AI, it functions as a verb phrase indicating a limited degree of betterment. You can find it frequently in news articles, scientific papers, and business reports. When using this expression, ensure that the improvement is indeed marginal to avoid overstating the situation. Alternatives like "improve marginally" or "increase a little" can be used for variety, always being mindful of the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

improve marginally

Emphasizes the small degree of improvement, similar to "slightly".

improve modestly

Highlights the restrained nature of the improvement.

improve a bit

A more informal way to express a small improvement.

increase a little

Focuses on the aspect of growing or becoming larger to a small extent.

pick up slightly

Suggests a small recovery or increase, particularly in business or performance contexts.

get a little better

Informal way of saying that something is in better shape.

look up a little

Indicates that things are becoming more positive.

advance marginally

Implies progress in a slow and limited manner.

ameliorate gradually

Suggests a slow and progressive improvement, usually over a longer duration.

progress incrementally

Emphasizes the gradual and step-by-step nature of the improvement.

FAQs

How to use "improve slightly" in a sentence?

You can use "improve slightly" to indicate a small positive change, as in "The weather is expected to "improve slightly" tomorrow".

What can I say instead of "improve slightly"?

You can use alternatives like "improve marginally", "improve modestly", or "increase a little" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "improve slightly" or "slightly improve"?

"Improve slightly" is the more common and natural word order. "Slightly improve" is grammatically correct but less frequently used.

What's the difference between "improve slightly" and "improve significantly"?

"Improve slightly" indicates a small positive change, whereas "improve significantly" implies a large and noticeable betterment.