modest improvement

USAGE SUMMARY

"modest improvement" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to small, incremental improvements. For example, "Despite a modest improvement in profits, the company's performance was still poor overall."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Although HbA1c improved on average, 29% had only modest improvement and 16% showed no improvement.

Patient Education and Counseling

Chase's consumer businesses, meanwhile, showed modest improvement.

The New York Times

But its ratings did show some modest improvement.

The New York Times

That is only a modest improvement from a year ago.

The New York Times

And we're seeing stabilization and a modest improvement in that".

The New York Times

To be fair, even this weak compromise would be a modest improvement over current law.

The New York Times

While still above peers, we only expect modest improvement to 20% by 2016.

The Guardian - Business

Last week, the Federal Reserve found signs of "modest improvement" in manufacturing.

The New York Times

In New York City, the failure rate was 66.9percentt, again a modest improvement over 2000.

The New York Times

Other precursors of future hiring, like temporary employment, showed modest improvement last month.

The New York Times

But even this modest improvement represents a sharp reversal of the trend over the preceding decades.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "modest improvement", quantify the improvement whenever possible to provide context. For example, "a modest improvement of 5%".

Common error

Avoid using "modest improvement" when the actual change is substantial. This can mislead the reader and undermine the credibility of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "modest improvement" primarily functions as a noun phrase, where "modest" modifies the noun "improvement". It describes the nature and extent of a positive change. As Ludwig AI suggests, it is grammatically sound and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

36%

Formal & Business

26%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "modest improvement" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a small, positive change. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s widely used across various contexts, including news, science, and business. When using the phrase, quantify the improvement whenever possible and avoid overstating its significance. Alternatives include "slight enhancement" and "marginal gain". Remember to choose the alternative that best fits the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight enhancement

Emphasizes the small degree of the improvement and uses "enhancement" instead of "improvement".

marginal gain

Focuses on the achieved gain being minimal, using a different noun.

limited progress

Highlights the constrained extent of the progress made.

minor advancement

Uses "advancement" to indicate progress, emphasizing its small size.

small step forward

Presents the improvement as a single, small increment of progress.

subtle refinement

Indicates a delicate or understated improvement.

gradual betterment

Suggests a slow and incremental process of becoming better.

incremental advancement

Emphasizes the step-by-step nature of the progress.

barely perceptible gain

Highlights that the gain is hardly noticeable.

measurable uptick

Describes a slight increase that can be quantified.

FAQs

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

You can use "modest improvement" to describe a small but positive change, for example: "The company reported a "modest improvement" in sales this quarter."

What are some alternatives to saying "modest improvement"?

Alternatives include "slight enhancement", "marginal gain", or "limited progress", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "modest improvement" in formal writing?

Yes, "modest improvement" is suitable for formal writing, especially in business, scientific, or news contexts. It provides a clear and professional way to describe incremental progress.

What's the difference between "modest improvement" and "significant improvement"?

"Modest improvement" indicates a small or incremental change, while "significant improvement" suggests a substantial and noteworthy change. The choice depends on the magnitude of the actual change being described.