make a great step

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "make a great step" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when referring to making significant progress or advancement in a particular area, but it is better to use more standard expressions. Example: "By implementing these new strategies, we hope to make a great step towards improving our efficiency."

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It argued that, however imperfect the constitution, "as long as it is satisfactorily implemented, our country's reform of the political structure will make a great step forward".

The Economist

Regulatory agencies would make a great step forward if diagnostic tests' technical reports would be always necessary for product registry and always available to the public.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"We made a great step forward," Spain's coach, Vicente del Bosque, said.

The New York Times - Sports

Researchers at the University of Surrey have made a great step forward in storing hydrogen or methane to power cars.

The New York Times

"For the New York Knicks franchise, I think we made a great step when I signed with the Knicks," he said.

The New York Times - Sports

Australia's foreign minister, Julie Bishop, said if the international community could "exchange ideas and practices and suggestions as to how we can deal with it, then I think we will have made a great step forward".

The Guardian

Kuntal Roy and colleagues at Virginia Commonwealth University made a great step to producing a spintronic device by making a small spintronic switch in which very small amounts of energy would cause a piezoelectric material to move and thus change the spins of electrons in a thin magnetic layer.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"We made a great step forward.

BBC

The work reached the leading level at home and abroad and made a great step forward for the research and development of nisin.

Protein & Cell

With the start of full-scale testing at a general test center in 1975, various studies and the development of effective measures made a great step forward.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

Around 1960, the technology made a great step forward, leading to the more powerful alkaline manganese dioxide zinc batteries, which operated flashlights and electronic devices for years, demonstrating their excellent shelf life (even without amalgamation) in hot tropical climates.

Encyclopedia of Electrochemical Power Sources

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When emphasizing the impact of an action, use "make a major advancement" or "take a significant stride" instead of "make a great step" for clearer and more impactful communication.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on "great" to describe achievements. Instead, use more descriptive and specific adjectives like "significant", "substantial", or "remarkable" to provide a clearer understanding of the progress made.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make a great step" functions as a verb phrase, where "make" is the main verb and "a great step" is the direct object. It describes the action of achieving significant advancement. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is acceptable but could be improved with more standard expressions.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

7%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "make a great step" describes achieving significant progress or advancement. While grammatically acceptable, Ludwig AI suggests it's less common and standard compared to alternatives such as "make a major advancement" or "take a significant stride". Its usage spans various contexts like news, science, and business, but remains infrequent overall. For clearer and more impactful writing, consider using more specific and descriptive adjectives to emphasize the level and nature of the progress made.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make a major advancement

Highlights the importance of the progress achieved.

make a leap forward

Similar meaning, but uses a slightly more common and idiomatic expression.

advance significantly

A more direct and concise way to express considerable progress.

take a significant stride

Emphasizes progress with a slightly more formal tone.

make notable progress

Highlights that progress is worthy of being noticed.

achieve substantial progress

Focuses on the result of advancement, using more formal language.

move forward substantially

Focuses on the act of moving ahead in a significant way.

make considerable headway

Implies forward movement against obstacles, more idiomatic.

make a giant leap

Suggests a dramatic and impactful level of progress.

achieve a breakthrough

Suggests a sudden and significant discovery or advancement.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "make a great step"?

You can use alternatives like "take a significant stride", "make a major advancement", or "achieve substantial progress" depending on the context.

Is "make a great step" grammatically correct?

While grammatically sound, "make a great step" is less common. More standard phrases like "make a leap forward" or "take a significant step" are generally preferred.

How to use "make a great step" in a sentence?

You can use "make a great step" to describe significant progress, for example: "By implementing these new policies, the company hopes to make a great step towards improving employee satisfaction."

What's the difference between "make a great step" and "make a big step"?

While similar, "make a great step" implies a higher degree of importance or impact compared to "make a big step". The term "great" suggests progress is more noteworthy or commendable.