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Prepositions after adjectives

Slight of, on, to, in or against?

Slight is not commonly followed by all of these prepositions. Different combinations have different meanings, and some are uncommon.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are natural with slight?

Slight in and slight on are standard in specific meanings. Slight to can describe a reaction or change. Slight of and slight against are uncommon as adjective patterns in modern English.

The patient showed a slight improvement in mobility.
The recipe is slight on details.
There was a slight change to the schedule.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
slight in + noun

Describing a small degree in something

Use slight in with nouns such as increase, difference, or improvement.

There was a slight increase in sales.
Doctors noticed a slight improvement in her condition.
2
slight on + noun

Saying something lacks detail or quantity

Slight on means not having enough of something.

The report is slight on evidence.
His explanation was slight on facts.
3
slight to + noun

Describing a small change or adjustment

Use slight before nouns like change or adjustment followed by to.

We made a slight adjustment to the plan.
4
slight against + person

Using slight as a noun

A slight against someone means an insult or lack of respect. Here slight is a noun, not an adjective.

She saw it as a slight against her family.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
slight in
There was a slight delay in production.
A small amount or degree within something.
slight on
The article is slight on details.
Lacking enough information or substance.
slight to
They made a slight change to the design.
A small modification affecting something.
slight of
The phrase slight of is uncommon with the adjective slight.
Not a standard modern adjective pattern.
slight against
He considered it a slight against the team.
Uses slight as a noun meaning insult.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using slight of as a normal adjective pattern

Slight of is not a standard modern combination with the adjective slight.

✕ The report is slight of information. ✓ The report is slight on information.

Confusing adjective and noun uses

Slight against uses slight as a noun.

✕ The comment was slight against him. ✓ The comment was a slight against him.

Using the wrong preposition after change

Change normally takes to.

✕ a slight change in the schedule ✓ a slight change to the schedule

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The report is slight ___ evidence.
2. There was a slight increase ___ prices.
3. He saw the remark as a slight ___ his department.

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Frequently asked questions

Is slight of correct?

It is not a common modern adjective pattern. Other constructions are usually more natural.

What does slight on mean?

It means lacking enough detail, evidence, or substance.

Can slight against be an adjective pattern?

Usually no. In slight against, slight is normally a noun.

sacred-to-in-by-of, for "sad for" or "sad about"? "safe for", "safe from" or "safe in"? sanguine about, in, of, on or for? "satisfactory to" or "satisfactory for"? satisfied with, of, by, in or on? "satisfying for" or "satisfying to"? scarce in, for, at, on or of? scared of, to, about, for or by? "scary for" or "scary to"? "scathing about", "scathing in" or "scathing of"? "sceptical about" or "sceptical of"?

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