very small progress

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "very small progress" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a minimal amount of advancement or improvement in a particular situation or task. Example: "After weeks of effort, we have made very small progress on the project, but we remain hopeful for better results."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It's making very small progress every day but it's still in critical condition," Ms Argilla told the TVNZ channel.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Lorre believes that the "magic trick" of the traditional sitcom is that "the characters make very small, incremental progress without ever really changing".

The New Yorker

However, we saw a small, thin, microcephalic child (Table  1), with very small developmental progress and whose deglutition had just improved.

BMC Pediatrics

Although the vast majority of cervical cancers are derived from cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), the majority of genital HPV infections are clinically undetectable and clear in 10 16 months; only a very small proportion progress into an invasive cervical cancer.

BMC Cancer

23 Existing data indicate that approximately 20 40% of MSM have anal HSIL at any one time, 4 with only a very small proportion progressing to cancer even in the absence of treatment.

BMJ Open

Very little progress.

Huffington Post

"Economically there has been very little progress.

Los Angeles Times

Over the last 20 years, there has been a large amount of research directed toward the development of a multitude of nanocarriers for drug and gene delivery, but only a very small part has progressed into clinical trials.

Journal of Controlled Release

Unless your child is very small, have him direct the progress of the base.

WikiHow

It also emphasised that only a very small number of 18C complaints progressed to the courts.

The Guardian

At the start of the game, the balls of light are very small, but as the player progresses and becomes more experienced and battle-hardened, their power source will grow.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "very small progress", consider adding context to explain why the progress is limited or what factors are hindering more substantial advancement. This provides a clearer picture of the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "very small progress" in situations where the advancement is actually significant. Ensure the adjective accurately reflects the limited nature of the improvement to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very small progress" functions as a noun phrase, where "very small" modifies the noun "progress". It describes the extent or degree of advancement made in a particular situation. As Ludwig AI highlights, it indicates a minimal level of advancement.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "very small progress" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe minimal advancement or improvement. As Ludwig AI indicates, the expression is mostly employed in news, scientific, and general contexts. While the phrase is valid, it is essential to provide additional context to qualify the limited achievement. Related phrases include "slight advancement" and "minimal headway". When using "very small progress", avoid overstating the impact of this limited advancement, and consider providing explanation regarding the lack of more substantial progress to give the audience a more clear understanding. Given its frequency and specific applications, it represents an accurate descriptor of limited forward momentum.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight advancement

Replaces 'progress' with 'advancement' and 'very small' with 'slight', both suggesting a minimal improvement.

minimal headway

Substitutes 'progress' with 'headway' and uses 'minimal' to indicate a small amount of forward movement.

tiny improvement

Replaces 'progress' with 'improvement' and 'very small' with 'tiny', emphasizing the diminutive scale of the positive change.

limited gains

Uses 'gains' instead of 'progress' and 'limited' to express the restricted scope of the positive results.

marginal development

Replaces 'progress' with 'development' and 'very small' with 'marginal', focusing on the slight nature of the growth.

insignificant progress

Uses 'insignificant' to downplay the importance of the progress made.

modest advancement

Employs 'modest' to convey the limited extent of the advancement.

slight upturn

Replaces 'progress' with 'upturn' implying a minor increase or improvement.

baby steps

A more figurative way of saying "very small progress", using the imagery of a baby learning to walk.

glacial progress

Implies that the progress is extremely slow, like the movement of a glacier.

FAQs

How can I use "very small progress" in a sentence?

You can use "very small progress" to describe a situation where there is some improvement, but it is minimal. For example: "Despite the challenges, we've made "very small progress" on the project."

What's a more formal alternative to "very small progress"?

A more formal alternative could be "marginal improvement" or "limited advancement", depending on the specific context.

Is "very small progress" the same as "little progress"?

While similar, "very small progress" implies that there is some positive change, however minimal, whereas "little progress" can suggest almost no change at all.

When is it appropriate to use "very small progress"?

It's appropriate when you want to acknowledge that some improvement has occurred, but it's not substantial or noteworthy enough to be considered a significant achievement. It's often used when managing expectations or describing slow-moving processes.