making distinction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "making distinction" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form is "making a distinction" or "making distinctions." Example: "In academic writing, it is important to be precise by making a distinction between different theories."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The literature on EEG features in NCSE includes a spectrum of "read-outs" that could coexist in other entities, making distinction and consequent ictal identification more difficult.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

Could be interesting to calculate KPIs making distinction in the nature of the product and/or express KPIs in terms of volume units instead of weight units.

European Transport Research Review

In this study, the effect of FLG on the photosynthetic benthic diatom Nitzschia palea was assessed making distinction between the impact of a direct contact with FLG and a shading effect of FLG on diatoms.

Carbon

Contrast often varied little between the muscle fibres of individual muscles, making distinction of neighbouring muscles difficult.

Plosone

The pCSA110 T-DNA insertion in miro1 plants contains the GUS reporter gene regulated by the pollen-specific LAT52 promoter, making distinction between mutant and wild type pollen possible [29].

Plosone

A factor analysis gave only one factor with Eigenvalue > 1, making distinction between anxiety and depressive symptoms impossible.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Kath was always making distinctions of that kind.

The New Yorker

But he said making distinctions among states requires justification.

The New York Times

Save when at work making distinctions and arguing relentlessly, philosophers are much like everyone else.

The Economist

Conversely, Indian participants defined themselves by making distinctions between those coming from urban and rural areas.

Bandung: Journal of the Global South

In coastal lakes, PST ≈ FST for these estimates making distinctions between selection and genetic drift equivocal.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider stronger verbs like "establish", "identify", or "draw" to add nuance to your writing when discussing distinctions.

Common error

A frequent error is omitting the article "a" before "distinction" or failing to use the plural form "distinctions" when referring to multiple instances. Always double-check for proper article usage or plurality to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase is intended to function as a verbal phrase indicating the act of differentiating or setting apart. However, it is grammatically incomplete without the article "a" or the plural form. Ludwig AI marks it as incorrect in standard English. Some Examples show it being used in scientific and news contexts, but this does not negate its grammatical deficiency.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "making distinction" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English, as highlighted by Ludwig AI. The correct forms are "making a distinction" or "making distinctions". Although the phrase appears in various contexts, including science and news media, omitting the article or failing to pluralize impacts its acceptability. To ensure clarity and grammatical correctness, it's best to use "making a distinction" or "making distinctions" in your writing. Alternative phrases like "drawing a distinction" or "differentiating between" can also enhance your writing by providing more nuanced expressions. Always prioritize grammatical accuracy to maintain credibility and clarity in professional and academic contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

drawing a distinction

Replaces "making" with "drawing", emphasizing the act of creating a distinction.

establishing a distinction

Uses "establishing" to highlight the act of firmly creating a differentiation.

creating a distinction

Emphasizes the act of bringing a distinction into existence.

identifying a distinction

Focuses on recognizing and pointing out an existing difference.

making a differentiation

Uses the synonym "differentiation" for "distinction", adding a slightly more formal tone.

differentiating between

Highlights the act of discerning differences between two or more things.

making distinctions

Uses the plural form to denote multiple instances of distinguishing.

drawing distinctions

Replaces "making" with "drawing" in plural form, emphasizing the act of creating multiple distinctions.

distinguishing between

Focuses on the process of clearly setting apart two or more items.

recognizing a distinction

Emphasizes the cognitive aspect of acknowledging a difference.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "making distinction" in a sentence?

The correct forms are "making a distinction" or "making distinctions". For example, "The author is "making a distinction" between these two concepts" or "The analyst is "making distinctions" based on the data".

What's the difference between "making a distinction" and "making distinctions"?

"Making a distinction" refers to a single instance of differentiating something, while "making distinctions" refers to multiple instances or a general habit of differentiating. For example, "He is "making a distinction" between the two types of cells" (single instance), vs. "She is known for "making distinctions" in her analysis" (general habit).

Are there alternatives to "making a distinction" that I can use?

Yes, you can use alternatives like "drawing a distinction", "establishing a distinction", or "differentiating between", depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is "making distinction" ever correct?

In standard written English, "making distinction" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The phrase requires either the indefinite article "a" ("making a distinction") or should be pluralized as "making distinctions". Ludwig AI confirms this assessment.