target at improving

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "target at improving" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would be "aim at improving" or "target improving." Example: "Our initiative is designed to target improving the quality of education in underserved communities."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Further interventions to improve caregivers' QOL should target at improving poorer functioning of the elderly.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Nutritional interventions targeted at improving phase angle could potentially lead to an improved survival in patients with advanced NSCLC.

BMC Cancer

Nutritional interventions targeted at improving phase angle could potentially lead to an improved survival in patients with breast cancer.

BMC Cancer

"Shifting device assembly to Asia is targeted at improving our time to market," said Niklas Savander, the Nokia executive vice president responsible for smartphones.

The New York Times

The effects seen, they said, were particularly impressive given that they emerged within a relatively short period of time, and that the campaign was not even directly targeted at improving educational outcomes.

The Guardian

Christie called for "every domestic policy we advance, every decision we make" to be targeted at improving the lives of middle-class and poorer households, explaining that "the rich are doing fine".

The Guardian

It offers cloud-based web analytics specifically targeted at improving the performance of forms so e-commerce companies can identify where their users are going wrong.

TechCrunch

Several systematic reviews have examined the impact of interventions targeted at improving outcomes for seniors visiting the ED, with mixed results [3, 4].

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

These are, for example, targeted at improving the gene condensation capacity, reducing toxicity, as well as aiming to give stealth or targeting properties after administration.

Polymers and Nanomaterials for Gene Therapy

A new model targeting at improving features of an existing model must not risk or threaten other important features of the current model.

Journal of Network and Computer Applications

To determine the accuracy of medication reconciliation in an internal medicine clinic and to evaluate pharmacist interventions targeted at improving the accuracy of medication reconciliation.

Journal of the American Pharmacists Association

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you want to express that something is directed towards improvement, use the standard phrasing "aim to improve" or "target improving" instead of "target at improving".

Common error

Avoid using "at" after "target" when referring to improving something. Using "target at improving" is grammatically incorrect. Instead, opt for "target improving" or restructure the sentence to use "aim to improve".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "target at improving" functions as a verb phrase intending to show direction towards enhancement, but is grammatically flawed. As Ludwig AI explains, the correct phrasing is "target improving" or "aim to improve". The example shows the intended meaning, but violates standard English grammar.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "target at improving" aims to convey an intent to enhance something, it's considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests using "target improving" or "aim to improve" as more appropriate alternatives. While examples exist, their limited number and grammatical issues indicate infrequent and non-standard usage. To ensure clarity and correctness, it's best to adopt the recommended alternatives in your writing. The phrase appears across various contexts, but is most frequent in science and news media, although its incorrectness detracts from its appropriateness in formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

aim to improve

This alternative directly replaces "target at" with "aim to", creating a more grammatically standard construction focused on the action of improvement.

target improving

By removing the preposition "at", it corrects the grammar issue, making "improving" a gerund acting as the target.

focus on improving

This phrase shifts the focus from targeting to concentrating efforts on the process of improvement, changing the emphasis slightly.

work towards improving

This alternative emphasizes the effort and progression involved in the act of improving something, adding a sense of ongoing action.

strive for improvement

This option focuses on the pursuit of improvement as a goal, suggesting ambition and dedication in achieving better results.

seek to enhance

This phrase uses "seek" instead of "target", and "enhance" instead of "improve", offering a more formal and sophisticated tone.

be geared towards improving

This alternative describes something being designed or oriented to facilitate improvement, adding a sense of intentional design.

be aimed at enhancing

Similar to "aim to improve", this emphasizes direction, but uses "enhancing" to add a slightly different nuance.

intend to better

This alternative uses "better" as a verb, indicating an intention to make something superior, which is a direct form of improving.

drive to optimize

This phrase changes the action to "optimize", implying a goal of making something as effective or functional as possible, with a strong sense of purpose.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "target improving" in a sentence?

Instead of saying "target at improving", use "target improving" followed by the specific aspect you want to enhance. For instance, "The new policy targets improving literacy rates" is grammatically sound.

What are some alternatives to "target at improving"?

You can use alternatives like "aim to improve", "focus on improving", or "strive for improvement" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "target at improving" grammatically correct?

No, "target at improving" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It is better to use "target improving" or "aim to improve".

What's the difference between "target at improving" and "aim to improve"?

"Target at improving" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "aim to improve", which means to direct your efforts toward enhancing something.