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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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less main

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less main" is not standard or commonly used in written English.
It may be intended to convey a lesser degree of importance or prominence, but it lacks clarity and is not idiomatic. Example: "The less main issue at hand is the budget allocation."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The smaller torque deviation when its clutch being connected is, the less main rotor speed droop is.

Through experiments, the proposed index structure resulted in a significantly lower write count and a greatly decreased search time with less main memory usage, than placing a layer that emulates a B-Tree.

Using 9 GB of memory usage, our method performs up to three times faster than the best competitor while still needing less main memory.

Our variant with lowest main memory footprint (12 MB) achieves similar compression rates and compression speeds, while using almost two orders of magnitude less main memory.

In contrast, it compresses a complete human genome in just 11 seconds when provided with 9 GB of main memory, which is almost three times faster than the best competitor while using less main memory.

To cope with this situation, especially on low memory PCs, SISMA can be run with a specific option that produces the output in distinct slices, and that requires less main memory to produce the output of each slice.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Sticking by its "underground" ethos, the music in the trailer is less main-stage festival and more club-friendly, from Chris Lake & Matroda's remix of SNBRN's "California" to the Gesaffelstein- and Rezz-like brooding techno-electro fusion of Hyper's "Spoiler".

News & Media

Vice

The culture clash over helping the auto companies was less Main Street vs. Wall Street than it was the usual battles in Washington: White House vs. Congress, House vs. Senate, Democrat vs. Republican.

News & Media

The New York Times

None the less, the main impression was of a pair of clubs in need of redevelopment.

Two good starters, chilled green-tomato soup and a crunchy, lightly lemony fritto misto, picked up where the radishes left off but were followed by much less snappy main courses.

News & Media

The New Yorker

But other effects, perhaps including a delay in taking in new member states from the east, may prove less helpful.The main implications, though, go beyond financial-market twists and turns to something more fundamental.

News & Media

The Economist
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using more established phrases like "less important" or "less significant" to convey your intended meaning with greater clarity and acceptance.

Common error

Avoid directly translating from other languages where a similar construction might be valid. English typically uses established comparative adjectives like "important" or "significant" rather than a direct modification of "main".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

86%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less main" functions as a comparative adjective phrase, attempting to modify a noun by indicating a reduced degree of importance or prominence. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it's not standard English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "less main" is understandable, it is not considered standard or grammatically correct in English. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. It attempts to function as a comparative adjective, indicating a reduced level of importance. However, more established and accepted alternatives such as "less important" or "less significant" should be preferred for clarity and to avoid potential misinterpretations. While some examples exist in science and news media, the overall usage is uncommon, making it advisable to opt for more conventional phrasing.

FAQs

What is a better way to say "less main"?

Instead of "less main", consider using phrases like "less important", "less significant", or "secondary" depending on the context.

Is "less main" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "less main" is not considered standard English. It's generally better to use more common and accepted phrases to ensure clarity and avoid potential confusion.

Can I use "less main" in formal writing?

It's best to avoid "less main" in formal writing. Opt for more conventional alternatives like "less crucial" or "of secondary importance" to maintain a professional tone.

What's the difference between "less main" and "less primary"?

"Less primary" is a slightly more acceptable alternative to "less main", but it's still preferable to use established phrases like "less important" or "less significant" for better clarity and wider acceptance.

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Source & Trust

86%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: