substantial step towards

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantial step towards" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate progress or advancement in a particular direction or towards a specific goal. Example: "The new policy represents a substantial step towards achieving our sustainability targets."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Providing access to comprehensive health services for all low-income Californians would be a substantial step towards a healthier state.

University of California, Berkeley

Mr. Haroldson also said Mr. Acord had taken a "substantial step towards carrying out the crime," but would give no further details.

The New York Times

The Community Transition to Professional Practice program represents a substantial step towards developing the primary health care health workforce by facilitating graduate nurse employment in this area.

Nurse Education in Practice

This particular subject has been virtually unaddressed in historiographic studies so far, and Schmitter's paper is a substantial step towards the full appreciation of the historical contribution these early theories of word formation made to the development of the field.

Language Sciences

UKIP's Nigel Farage told the BBC the party had taken its "first substantial step towards a party that can credibly win seats at Westminster".

BBC

Supporting such flexibility through services integrated in a distributed operating system for networked embedded systems is a substantial step towards self-adaptive systems.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

By holding credible elections earlier this year and through other recent developments, the Iranian government has taken substantial steps towards reform in Iran (Editorial, 20 September).

The Guardian

"I expect we'll make some real progress including an effort to make sure that the summit between our two leaders can take place where we can make substantial steps towards denuclearisation," Pompeo said in an interview with CBS.

The Guardian

"The Security Council now has the option of saying if there are substantial steps towards peace we can put the prosecutions on hold," said Nick Grono, the deputy president of the International Crisis Group, a conflict analysis think-tank.

Independent

That is unless substantial steps towards a takeover are taken within a couple of weeks.

BBC

Here we have taken substantial steps towards identifying additional specific compounds associated with favourable and unfavourable consumer responses to rice aromatic quality.

Rice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "substantial step towards" to emphasize that notable progress has been made, but the final goal has not yet been reached. For example, a new policy might be "a substantial step towards" environmental sustainability, but further measures are needed.

Common error

Avoid using "substantial step towards" when the action only represents a minor or insignificant change. Overstating the impact can diminish the credibility of your statement. Instead, use phrases like "small step towards" or "initial effort towards".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantial step towards" functions as a modifier, often acting as an adjectival phrase describing the nature of progress made. It highlights that a particular action or event constitutes a significant advancement in the direction of a specific goal. Ludwig AI confirms the correct and usable nature of this expression.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "substantial step towards" is a grammatically correct and usable expression, primarily employed to signify notable progress toward a defined objective. According to Ludwig AI, it effectively communicates that significant advancement has been made. Analysis of usage patterns indicates its prevalence in news media, scientific discourse, and academia. While its register ranges from neutral to formal, its appropriateness varies based on the context; Ludwig’s sources confirm the phrase can be used in numerous contexts to highlight meaningful progress. Consider substituting related phrases like "significant advancement toward" or "major stride toward" to best suit the context. Be mindful not to overstate the impact of progress when using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant advancement toward

Replaces 'substantial step' with 'significant advancement', focusing on the degree of progress.

notable progress toward

Substitutes 'substantial step' with 'notable progress', emphasizing the visibility of the improvement.

major stride toward

Uses 'major stride' instead of 'substantial step', suggesting a large and impactful movement forward.

considerable leap toward

Replaces 'step' with 'leap', indicating a more significant advancement.

meaningful development toward

Substitutes 'step' with 'development', highlighting the positive change being made.

decisive move toward

Uses 'decisive move' instead of 'substantial step', emphasizing the resolution and impact of the action.

critical advancement toward

Replaces 'substantial step' with 'critical advancement', highlighting the importance of the progress.

promising move toward

Emphasizes the positive outlook of the progress being made.

vital stride toward

Uses 'vital stride' instead of 'substantial step', stressing the necessity of the action.

real breakthrough toward

Highlights a significant achievement that facilitates further advancement.

FAQs

How can I use "substantial step towards" in a sentence?

You can use "substantial step towards" to describe an action or event that represents significant progress in achieving a goal. For example: "The new regulations are a "substantial step towards" reducing pollution".

What can I say instead of "substantial step towards"?

You can use alternatives like "significant advancement toward", "notable progress toward", or "major stride toward" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "substantial step towards" or "substantial steps towards"?

Both "substantial step towards" and "substantial steps towards" are grammatically correct. Use "step" for a single action and "steps" for multiple actions contributing to the same goal. For example: "The company is taking "substantial steps towards" improving its environmental impact".

What's the difference between "substantial step towards" and "significant step towards"?

While both phrases convey progress, "substantial step towards" emphasizes the size or degree of progress made, while "significant step towards" highlights the importance or impact of the progress. The choice depends on which aspect you want to emphasize.