so as to not affect

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'so as to not affect' is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase is typically used when talking about taking an action to avoid having a negative effect on something. For example, "We are taking extra precautions to sanitize the store so as to not affect our customers' health."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

So as to not affect the integrity of the RInChI standard it is proposed that the reaction information is appended to the existing RInChI string and that this field is optional as far as the standard is concerned.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Some might make the technical argument that Trump in fact delayed the announcement of the trade probe so as to not affect the Chinese support of the U.N. resolution.

Huffington Post

Of interest, no such institutions have yet participated in SERCs' group discussions so as to not affect the trusting relationships.

BMC International Health and Human Rights

Another potential problem for scoring band sizes is the slight leakage of samples from one lane into adjacent lanes, leading to ambiguous or inaccurate genotypes especially in scoring trisomic individuals, so care must be taken when removing the gel comb so as to not affect the wells.

Biological Procedures Online

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Even if it was implemented so slowly as to not affect her, Ms. Hamilton said, raising the retirement age would be unfair to her younger colleagues and to future generations of people who do not have the luxury of working behind a desk.

The New York Times

Finally, it was accepted that in each of the areas there occurred other stocks, but these were independent and so small as to not affect the value of the management measures on the major stocks.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

A sensitivity analysis ensured that the domain length was sufficiently long so as not to not affect the results.

Plosone

However, propulsion is easily controlled so as to not adversely affect the grid's stability   d.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

The N-terminal GB1 tag is joined to the ASC PYD via a four-amino acid linker, which is sufficiently long (∼12 Å) so as not to affect the three-dimensional structure of the ASC PYD.

Biochemistry

The maintenance staff is taught how to keep the machinery in an optimal condition so as to ensure that the vaccines are not adversely affected.

Unicef

As a result, Mr. Rajoy has been trying, so far unsuccessfully, to persuade his European counterparts to agree that the rescue financing will be paid directly to Spanish banks, so as not to affect Madrid's debt.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "so as to not affect" to clearly communicate the intention of preventing a specific outcome or impact. This phrase is particularly useful in formal writing and technical documentation where precision is important.

Common error

Avoid constructing sentences that are overly passive when using "so as to not affect". Ensure the subject performing the action is clear to maintain clarity and directness in your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "so as to not affect" functions as a purpose clause, indicating the intention behind an action. It specifies that something is done with the goal of preventing influence or change. Ludwig confirms the validity of this usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "so as to not affect" is a purpose connector used to express the intention of preventing a specific outcome or impact. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English. While grammatically sound, its frequency is relatively rare, and it's most commonly found in scientific, news, and formal business contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by avoiding overly passive voice constructions. Consider simpler alternatives like "to avoid affecting" for less formal situations. The phrase is effective in contexts where precision is important, indicating caution and a deliberate effort to minimize unwanted influence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in order to avoid affecting

Replaces "so as to" with "in order to" and uses "avoid affecting" instead of "not affect".

to prevent affecting

A more concise way of saying "so as to not affect", focusing on prevention.

to ensure it does not affect

Emphasizes ensuring a lack of impact, adding a degree of certainty.

to keep from influencing

Substitutes "affect" with "influence", changing the nuance slightly to suggest less direct impact.

so that it won't influence

Uses "so that" for purpose and replaces "affect" with "influence", implying a slightly weaker impact.

with the aim of not altering

Focuses on the aim or goal, replacing "affect" with "alter", which suggests modification.

designed to avoid impacting

Highlights the design or intent behind the action, using "impacting" as a synonym for "affecting".

in an effort to preclude changes to

More formal and emphasizes the effort to prevent changes, using sophisticated vocabulary.

to preclude any impact on

Focuses on precluding or preventing any kind of impact.

in order that it doesn't interfere with

Expresses the purpose of avoiding interference, implying a disruption or obstruction.

FAQs

How can I use "so as to not affect" in a sentence?

Use "so as to not affect" to indicate that an action is being taken to prevent something from being influenced or changed. For example, "The data was anonymized so as to not affect individuals' privacy."

What's a simpler way to say "so as to not affect"?

You can use alternatives like "to avoid affecting" or "in order to avoid affecting" depending on the level of formality required.

Is "so as to not affect" formal or informal?

"So as to not affect" is generally considered a more formal phrase. In informal contexts, you might prefer "to not affect" or another similar, less verbose option.

What is the difference between "so as to not affect" and "so as to affect"?

"So as to not affect" indicates an action is taken to prevent something from being influenced, while "so as to affect" indicates an action is taken to produce a specific effect or change.