slight improvements

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slight improvements" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to minor enhancements or changes made to something. Example: "After reviewing the project, I believe we can make some slight improvements to enhance its overall quality."

✓ Grammatically correct

Biomedical Optics Express

The New York Times

The Guardian

TechCrunch

Forbes

International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

BBC

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Journal of Computational Physics

Polymer

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Annals of Intensive Care

Critical Care

BMC Genomics

British Journal of Pharmacology

Arthritis Research and Therapy

Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery

Analytical Chemistry

BMC Infectious Diseases

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The CV is a bit high but can be improved via slight improvements to coupling and manufacturing.

Biomedical Optics Express

Those who were promised a financial reward showed only slight improvements, and those who simply saw their doctors regularly did not improve at all.

The New York Times

For its part, Yale made slight improvements in its offers on wages, pensions and job security.

The New York Times

Officials point to the slight improvements from a year ago as a hopeful sign.

The New York Times

There were slight improvements in some categories and the detected rate of core violations declined.

The New York Times

Such was the case, at least until the renovations of recent years, which have reportedly produced slight improvements.

The New York Times - Arts

There were slight improvements in performance in maths, but not on the level of gains seen by Kazakhstan, pushing England down from 10th to 11th place.

The Guardian - Opinion

They will also benefit from slight improvements to the minimum income guarantee and pension credits, although if they smoke and drink those gains will easily disappear.

The Guardian - Business

A few bikes have nominal adjustments for handlebar position and windshield angle and height, but the parameters are so limited that they provide only slight improvements.

The New York Times - Travel

It appears that in most specifications, Honda used the current Prius as its baseline, and it made slight improvements all around.

The New York Times

It is therefore concerning that business investment fell last quarter and the current account deficit remains unacceptably large, despite slight improvements in the trade balance," he said.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing product development or iterative processes, use "slight improvements" to accurately represent incremental enhancements without overstating the changes.

Common error

Avoid using "slight improvements" when the changes are actually significant or transformative. Accurate assessment is crucial for managing expectations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slight improvements" functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the object of a verb or the complement of a preposition. It refers to incremental enhancements or minor positive changes. According to Ludwig, this phrase is used to indicate that something has gotten better, even if only by a small degree.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

43%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "slight improvements" is a grammatically correct and commonly used noun phrase to describe minor enhancements or incremental progress. It's appropriate for various contexts, from scientific reports to news articles, as Ludwig confirms. When writing, it's important to use the phrase accurately to reflect the true scope of the improvements, avoiding exaggeration. Alternatives such as "minor enhancements" or "small advances" can be used depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minor enhancements

Emphasizes the small degree of betterment, using a more formal term.

small advances

Focuses on the forward movement aspect of the improvement, suggesting progress.

marginal gains

Highlights the minimal amount of improvement, often used in a business or sports context.

modest advancements

Implies a restrained or humble degree of progress.

subtle refinements

Suggests improvements that are delicate and not immediately noticeable.

incremental progress

Focuses on the gradual and step-by-step nature of the improvements.

limited upgrades

Implies that the improvements are restricted in scope or impact.

minor adjustments

Highlights the act of making small changes to improve something.

small steps forward

Conveys the idea of making progress, even if the steps are small.

gentle enhancements

Suggests the improvements were made with care and subtlety.

FAQs

How can I use "slight improvements" in a sentence?

You can use "slight improvements" to describe minor enhancements or changes made to something, as in, "After the update, we noticed "slight improvements" in the software's performance."

What are some alternatives to "slight improvements"?

Alternatives include "minor enhancements", "small advances", or "marginal gains", depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "slight improvements" in formal writing?

Yes, "slight improvements" is suitable for formal writing, especially when precision is needed to describe the degree of enhancement. However, alternatives like "modest advancements" might be preferred in some contexts.

What is the difference between "slight improvements" and "significant improvements"?

"Slight improvements" indicates minor or small-scale changes, while "significant improvements" implies more substantial and noticeable enhancements. Choosing the right phrase depends on the magnitude of the change being described.