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Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
they're significant
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesTable of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
23 human-written examples
But it's important to know what the limits are, because they're significant.
The differences between the happiest and least happy cities aren't huge, but they're significant.
News & Media
Even allowing for leading questions and discomfort unrelated to technology, they're significant numbers.
News & Media
"These are not as dramatic as the foundational moments," Mr. Kennedy said, "but they're significant changes".
News & Media
"The challenges are real, they're significant and I lose sleep over them," he told me.
News & Media
"It's a strange situation because all of these products individually are tiny, but collectively, they're significant," he said.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
37 human-written examples
Still, they are significant.
News & Media
Nevertheless they are significant players in militancy.
News & Media
They are significant losses in our schools".
News & Media
They were significant years for the series.
News & Media
Though small, it said, they are significant.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
In formal research papers or legal documents, avoid the contraction and write "<a href="/s/they+are+significant" target="_blank" rel="alternative">they are significant" to maintain a professional tone.
Common error
Do not confuse "they're significant" with 'their significant'. The first is a contraction of 'they are', while the second implies possession. For example, 'their significant findings' refers to findings belonging to them, whereas "they're significant" means the subjects themselves hold importance.
Source & Trust
92%
Authority and reliability
4.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "they're significant" functions as a subject-verb-complement structure where the contracted verb 'are' links the plural pronoun 'they' to the predicative adjective 'significant'. According to Ludwig AI, this construction is used to attribute a specific quality (importance or scale) to a previously mentioned plural noun.
Frequent in
News & Media
65%
Science
15%
Academia
10%
Less common in
Social Media
5%
Formal & Business
3%
Wiki
2%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
The phrase "they're significant" is a versatile and common expression used to highlight the importance of a plural subject. Analysis from Ludwig AI indicates that it is most frequently employed in News & Media to add weight to findings, changes, or challenges. While it is grammatically correct and widely accepted in most professional contexts, writers should remain cautious of the homophone 'their' and consider using the full form "<a href="/s/they+are+significant" target="_blank" rel="alternative">they are significant" in high-level academic or technical papers. Its primary role is to serve as a concise evaluative statement that bridges a subject with its impact or relevance.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
they are significant
uncontracted version suitable for formal and academic writing
they are important
uses a broader synonym for significance
they are substantial
emphasizes physical size or measurable quantity
they are noteworthy
suggests that the items deserve specific attention
they are meaningful
focuses on the depth of relevance or symbolism
they are considerable
often used when discussing amounts or effects
they are major
indicates a high level of importance or scale
these are significant
replaces the personal pronoun with a demonstrative for specificity
they are consequential
implies that they lead to important results or effects
they are non-negligible
more technical or scientific way to express significance
FAQs
How do I use "they're significant" in a sentence?
You can use it to evaluate a plural subject, such as: "The differences between the two groups were small, but "they're significant" in the context of this study."
Is it better to say "they're significant" or "they are significant"?
It depends on the context; "<a href="/s/they+are+significant" target="_blank" rel="alternative">they are significant" is preferred for formal writing, while "they're significant" is standard for conversation and news media.
What is a more formal way to say "they're significant"?
You can use "<a href="/s/they+are+consequential" target="_blank" rel="alternative">they are consequential" or "<a href="/s/they+are+of+considerable+importance" target="_blank" rel="alternative">they are of considerable importance".
Does "they're significant" imply statistical significance?
Not necessarily; in general writing, it often means 'important' or 'noteworthy', but in a scientific context, it specifically refers to results that are unlikely to have occurred by chance.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
92%
Authority and reliability
4.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested