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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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material a decision

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "material a decision" is not correct in written English.
It seems to be a misphrasing and lacks clarity. Example: "We need to make a material decision regarding the budget allocation for next year."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

When Waste Management refused to make changes, Andersen concluded that the overstatements were not material, a decision that was crucial since the audit opinion states that financial reports "present fairly, in all material respects," the company's financial position.

News & Media

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

By providing him with a mosaic of information from many sources, his defense contended, no single source or piece of information was material to a decision to invest even though, added up, they gave him a vital edge as an investor.

News & Media

The New York Times

If the tenant knew that a developer could save him 30% on energy costs by specifying certain equipment or materials, a different decision might be made, Connolly reasons: "But because the developer mostly does not know who the tenant will be, they can't justify the extra expense".

News & Media

The Guardian

The educational materials entitled 'Making a decision about treatment-focused genetic testing' were developed by the research team on the basis of the information preferences expressed by women in our qualitative interviews.

Science

BMC Cancer

After gathering the facts, the SSA will review your materials before making a decision.

More important, the State Historic Preservation Office had reviewed Al's materials and come to a decision.

News & Media

The New Yorker

In fact a material selection decision should capture not only the functional performance required for the application but should also consider the economical and environmental impacts originated all along the product life cycle.

"The home secretary will consider the report alongside all other relevant material and aims to reach a decision as soon as is consistent with dealing fairly and properly with this case".

News & Media

The Guardian

Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Dianne Feinstein of California, Thomas Carper of Delaware and Benjamin Cardin of Maryland wrote to Comey and the attorney general, Loretta Lynch, to insist on a thorough briefing by Monday about Comey's decision to tell congressional officials about new material from an "unrelated case" – a decision that shook the campaigns with only 10 days to go.

News & Media

The Guardian

According to Lord Dyson, this was not justified as "the importance of Anisminic is that it showed that a material error of law renders a decision a 'nullity' so that the decision is in principle judicially reviewable".

One approach to facilitating such communication is to provide support for both clinicians and patients, via accessible and targeted educational material in a form of a decision aid tool.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you need to express that a decision is significant, replace the phrase "material a decision" with "significant decision" or "substantial decision".

Common error

Be careful when choosing adjectives to describe a decision. Using adjectives that don't commonly collocate with "decision" can lead to awkward or incorrect phrasing. Stick to established combinations like "important decision" or "critical decision".

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

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

83%

Authority and reliability

2.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "material a decision" is an attempt to express the importance or significance of a decision, but it is not grammatically correct. Ludwig AI confirms this with its assessment that the phrase is not correct in written English. It seems that the intention is to qualify a decision as being substantial or relevant.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

54%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "material a decision" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Ludwig AI flags it as such. While the intention might be to emphasize the significance of a decision, better alternatives include "significant decision", "substantial decision", or "material decision". Usage is rare, and even when it appears in sources like The New York Times or Science publications, it's often part of a larger, more complex sentence structure where the intended meaning can still be gleaned, despite the grammatical error. Therefore, it is recommended to use the correct phrase, "material decision".

FAQs

What does "material" mean in the context of a decision?

In the context of a decision, "material" typically means significant or important. However, the phrase "material a decision" is grammatically incorrect. A better way to phrase this would be "material decision".

What can I say instead of "material a decision"?

Instead of "material a decision", you can use phrases like "significant decision", "substantial decision", or "important decision".

Is it correct to say "material a decision"?

No, the phrase "material a decision" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to say "material decision".

Which is correct, "material a decision" or "material decision"?

"Material decision" is the correct and commonly used phrase. "Material a decision" is not grammatically sound.

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Source & Trust

83%

Authority and reliability

2.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: