minor improvement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "minor improvement" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to describe a small or insignificant change or enhancement to something. Example: The company made some minor improvements to their website, including updating the font and adding a new feature.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Minor improvement -- or not so minor -- for the Rays is a necessity.

Huffington Post

While we see very minor improvement from Apple's year-old Maps application, Google continues to improve its world-class offering pretty rapidly.

TechCrunch

Clifton is a minor improvement.

The New York Times - Sports

There were no servicers deemed as needing only minor improvement.

The New York Times

One Indian newspaper said MacKeown's home was "only a minor improvement on a typical Indian slum".

The Guardian

"Any minor improvement will be a godsend, but it will have a small impact," she said.

The New York Times

But the scheme is a minor improvement on a compulsory scheme, under which only 660 refugees have been settled.

The Guardian

The net approval score for Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg remains consistent at -44, a minor improvement on -46 at the start of the month.

The Guardian

The Final Proposal is a minor improvement which continues to fall short of the Board's view of value and has been rejected".

The Guardian - Business

Santorum told the devout in Kalamazoo that the Obama Administration was a threat to their liberties, but that Romney would be only a minor improvement.

The New Yorker

Gerald Khoo, an analyst at Liberum, said: "The minor improvement to guidance may disappoint the market, given upward pressure on estimates at other European airlines".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing progress, use "minor improvement" to temper expectations and accurately reflect the scale of change.

Common error

Avoid using "minor improvement" when the actual change is substantial; doing so can undermine your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "minor improvement" functions as a noun phrase, where "minor" modifies the noun "improvement". It describes the nature or extent of the improvement being referred to. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "minor improvement" is a commonly used and grammatically sound way to describe a small positive change. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears frequently in various contexts, particularly in scientific, news, and business-related content. While straightforward in meaning, using "minor improvement" effectively involves accurately reflecting the scale of the progress to avoid misrepresentation. When a more significant change occurs consider to use similar but more appropriate alternatives as "slight enhancement", "marginal gain", or "small step forward" depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight enhancement

Replaces "improvement" with "enhancement", emphasizing a positive change that is small in scale.

marginal gain

Substitutes "improvement" with "gain", focusing on the small advantage or benefit achieved.

small step forward

Replaces "minor improvement" with a more descriptive phrase indicating incremental progress.

modest advance

Uses "advance" instead of "improvement", suggesting a limited degree of progress.

limited progress

Emphasizes the constrained nature of the advancement made.

subtle refinement

Highlights the delicate and precise nature of the improvement.

incremental betterment

Uses more formal language to describe a gradual process of improvement.

slight upturn

Suggests a small positive trend or shift.

modest correction

Focuses on rectifying an issue rather than a general improvement.

small adjustment

Emphasizes a slight change made to achieve a better outcome.

FAQs

How can I use "minor improvement" in a sentence?

You can use "minor improvement" to describe a small positive change. For example, "The software update resulted in a "minor improvement" in performance."

What are some synonyms for "minor improvement"?

Alternatives to "minor improvement" include "slight enhancement", "marginal gain", or "small step forward", each suggesting a small degree of progress.

Is it correct to say "a minor improvements"?

No, the correct phrasing is "a minor improvement". "Improvement" is a singular noun in this context, so it should not be pluralized.

What's the difference between "minor improvement" and "major improvement"?

"Minor improvement" indicates a small, often insignificant change, while "major improvement" signifies a substantial and impactful advancement.