Master the Word “Significance”: Learn Significant, Significantly, Insignificant & Signify with Examples
Knowing good vocabulary is very important in writing. Using the perfect word will make your ideas clearer and more academic.
One of the most powerful word families for IELTS Writing Task 2 is SIGNIFICANCE. It helps you show importance, influence, and results. Let’s master its 5 forms!
1. SIGNIFICANCE (Noun) – Importance or Meaning
Meaning: The importance, meaning, influence, or consequence of something.
Grammar: The significance of + noun
Transcript Example: “The significance of this discovery is obvious.”
Unique New Examples:
- The significance of early childhood education is often underestimated by parents.
- Do you understand the full significance of your decision to study abroad?
- What is the historical significance of the Language Movement in Bangladesh?
2. SIGNIFICANT (Adjective) – Important & Influential
Meaning: Important, large enough to be noticed, having consequence.
This is your go-to word to replace “a lot of” or “important” in essays!
Grammar: significant + noun / significant evidence / significant difference
Transcript Example: “There is significant evidence that there is a connection between hard work and success.”
Unique New Examples:
- Online learning has made a significant contribution to rural education in Bangladesh.
- There was a significant increase in air pollution after the factories were built.
- Regular exercise has a significant impact on mental health and concentration.
IELTS Upgrade:
- Weak: “A lot of people support this idea.”
- Strong: “A significant number of people support this idea.”
3. INSIGNIFICANT (Adjective) – NOT Important
Meaning: Too small or unimportant to matter. The opposite of significant. In- means not.
Transcript Example: “The problem was insignificant to the overall project.”
Unique New Examples:
- Compared to climate change, this minor argument is completely insignificant.
- The cost of one pen is insignificant when you consider the total project budget.
- Don’t worry about one low score — it is insignificant in your long-term academic career.
4. SIGNIFICANTLY (Adverb) – In an Important Way
Meaning: To a large or important degree; noticeably. Use it to emphasize verbs, adjectives.
Grammar: significantly + verb/adjective (higher, lower, better, different, improved)
Transcript Example: “The number of sales was significantly higher for the last week of the month.”
Unique New Examples:
- After joining Advanced English Lab, his IELTS writing score improved significantly.
- The price of rice is significantly lower this season compared to last year.
- The new policy is significantly different from the previous one.
IELTS Task 1 Gold:
Perfect for graphs!
“The population of Dhaka increased significantly from 2 million to 12 million between 1990 and 2020.”
5. SIGNIFY (Verb) – To Be a Sign Of / To Mean
Meaning: To be a sign of something; to make known; to mean or indicate.
Transcript Example: “The numbers signify the change in opinion among the voters.”
Unique New Examples:
- In many cultures, white clothes signify peace and purity.
- A sudden drop in sales could signify a serious problem with product quality.
- What does this red symbol on the map signify?
Master Comparison Table
| Word | Form | Meaning | Example Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Significance | Noun | Importance / influence | The significance of X is… |
| Significant | Adjective | Important / large | A significant increase / impact |
| Insignificant | Adjective | Not important / tiny | An insignificant error |
| Significantly | Adverb | Noticeably / to a great extent | Significantly higher / improved |
| Signify | Verb | To be a sign of / mean | This signifies that… |
Final Practice: Choose the Correct Form!
- The discovery has great ____ (signify) for medical science.
- The government’s decision will ____ (significant) affect small businesses.
- A smile does not always ____ (significance) happiness.
Comment your answers below on Advanced English Lab — I will check them!
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