substantial mistakes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantial mistakes" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to significant errors or inaccuracies in a particular context, such as a report, project, or analysis. Example: "The final report contained substantial mistakes that needed to be addressed before submission."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Fred Friendly, the former head of CBS News, asked Dwight Eisenhower in 1961 if he had made any substantial mistakes during his Presidency.

The New Yorker

This was a step particularly relevant in preventing substantial mistakes in the succeeding phases of interpretation, as spotted in some previous studies of this earthquake.

Geoscience Letters

Well, we haven't seen any substantial mistakes or problems for Ellmers.

Huffington Post

On the contrary, the relevant competence should help health workers to uncover misunderstandings about factual matters that can lead to substantial mistakes.

BMC Medical Ethics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

If the Advertisement as reproduced by GNM contains a substantial error solely due to a mistake on GNM's part, GNM shall, on request, re-publish the Advertisement at no additional cost to the Advertiser.

The Guardian

Because of these opportunities substantial planning mistakes can be avoided and logistic conflicts can be detected and eliminated in advance.

Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation Proceedings of the International Conference on Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation 2–4 April 2001, Cape Town, South Africa

Complex criteria are likely to give rise to substantial error in eligibility determination, both through honest mistakes and because they are more difficult to verify and therefore more prone to falsification.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

That led to an angry retort from Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers, who wrote in a memorandum to Mr. Clinton that such a release would amount to a "substantial policy mistake" and would, at best have a "modest effect" on prices.

The New York Times

He even invoked the name of Washington's other great power, Alan Greenspan, declaring that "Chairman Greenspan and I believe that using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve at this time, as proposed by D.O.E., would be a major and substantial policy mistake".

The New York Times

There are substantial, plot-changing decisions (and mistakes) to be made, tension borne of consequence, of knowledge that each of those characters can die.

The Guardian - Tech

Two teenage girls who suffered brain damage as infants because of doctors' mistakes were awarded substantial monetary damages last week by juries in Manhattan and the Bronx.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "substantial mistakes" when you want to emphasize the significant impact or size of the errors made.

Common error

While appropriate, "substantial mistakes" can sometimes sound redundant in formal contexts. Consider varying your language by using synonyms like "significant errors", "major blunders", or specifying the exact nature of the errors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantial mistakes" functions as a noun phrase where "substantial" modifies the noun "mistakes". This phrase typically serves to highlight the magnitude or significance of the errors.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "substantial mistakes" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to describe significant errors. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is suitable for various contexts, primarily in news, science, and formal communications. While it's a correct and usable expression, it's important to provide context and, at times, consider alternative phrasings like "significant errors" or "major blunders" to avoid redundancy. The phrase carries a neutral register and serves to emphasize the magnitude and impact of the errors being discussed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant errors

Replaces "substantial" with "significant", maintaining the meaning of noteworthy errors.

major blunders

Substitutes both words for alternatives that emphasize the gravity of the errors.

serious errors

Replaces "substantial" with "serious", indicating grave or consequential mistakes.

critical errors

Uses "critical" to highlight the importance and potential impact of the mistakes.

grave errors

Employs "grave" to underscore the severe and alarming nature of the mistakes.

egregious errors

Replaces "substantial" and "mistakes" with synonyms conveying a sense of shocking or outstandingly bad errors.

large mistakes

Uses "large" to quantify the scale or impact of the mistakes.

considerable errors

Substitutes "substantial" with "considerable", suggesting a noticeable and worthy-of-attention degree of mistakes.

noticeable errors

The errors are easily observed or detected

serious blunders

Emphasizes the severity of the mistakes using the term "blunders".

FAQs

How can I use "substantial mistakes" in a sentence?

You can use "substantial mistakes" to describe significant errors. For example, "The project was delayed due to "substantial mistakes" in the initial planning phase".

What are some alternatives to saying "substantial mistakes"?

Alternatives include "significant errors", "major blunders", or "serious errors" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "substantial errors" or "substantial mistakes"?

Both "substantial errors" and ""substantial mistakes"" are acceptable. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. "Mistakes" generally implies unintentional errors, while "errors" can include both intentional and unintentional inaccuracies.

What is the difference between "substantial mistakes" and "minor errors"?

"Substantial mistakes" indicate significant, impactful errors, while "minor errors" refer to small, less consequential inaccuracies.