How to use "considerable impression"

What Does "considerable impression" Mean?

• Meaning of the collocation or phrasal verb "Considerable impression" signifies a noteworthy and significant effect or impact. It suggests that something or someone has made a strong and lasting mark.
• Whether meaning is compositional or semi-idiomatic The meaning is compositional. "Considerable" simply modifies the degree of the "impression."
• Register: formal / informal / neutral The register is neutral to formal.

How to Use It

• Grammatical pattern: adjective + noun The grammatical pattern is an adjective + noun collocation. It's typically used with verbs like make, leave, have, or give.
• Typical objects, complements, or prepositions that follow It's often followed by the preposition on, indicating the recipient of the impression (e.g., made a considerable impression on the audience).
• Can the components be separated? (for phrasal verbs) This is not a phrasal verb; it's a collocation, so the components cannot be separated.
• What sounds unnatural: wrong verb, wrong preposition, wrong object Using a weaker adjective like "small" or an inappropriate verb like "do" (e.g., "do a considerable impression") would sound unnatural. The preposition to or at instead of on is also incorrect when referring to the recipient of the impression.

Real-World Examples

These examples are sourced from considerable impression on Ludwig.guru.

"The "Ode," dedicated to the Empress, and the Pismo o pravilakh rossiyskogo stikhotvorstva ("Letter Concerning the Rules of Russian Versification") made a considerable impression at court." — Encyclopedia Britannica

"Though Wheeler rued the fact that he did not have more chances to perform in front of the big-league coaches, he did make a considerable impression, through his play and his demeanor." — The New York Times - Sports

"One acquaintance who made a considerable impression on him in the thirties was Baron Axel Wenner-Green, the Swedish industrialist, who is heavily interested in the Electrolux and Servel Corporationa and whose European holdings include timber lands, paper mills, and munitions factories." — The New Yorker

"Although Heber's episcopate had been brief he had made a considerable impression, and news of his death brought many tributes from around India." — Wikipedia

"Despite her rebuttals, the criticisms of Selma got considerable coverage and left the impression that its accuracy might be flawed." — BBC

Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/considerable+impression

Similar Phrases and Alternatives

Phrase	Context
strong impact	More direct and slightly less formal.
significant effect	A neutral and common alternative.
lasting impression	Emphasizes the enduring nature of the impact.
profound influence	Suggests a deep and far-reaching effect.
major impact	Similar to "strong impact", slightly less formal than "considerable".
deep impression	Emphasizes the intensity and depth of the feeling created.
made an impact	More general and less emphatic.

Common Mistakes

• Using a weaker synonym of "considerable" that doesn't collocate well, such as "big impression," which is less formal.
• Replacing the collocation with a verb phrase like "impress greatly," which changes the grammatical structure and can sound less natural in certain contexts.
• Incorrectly using prepositions other than "on" when specifying the recipient of the impression.

Quick-Reference Summary

Expression	Meaning	Grammatical Pattern	Register
considerable impression	A strong or significant effect	Adjective + Noun	Neutral to Formal

FAQs

Can the words in "considerable impression" be separated, or must they always stay together?

No, the words in "considerable impression" should not be separated. It functions as a fixed collocation, meaning the adjective directly modifies the noun to create a specific meaning. Inserting words between them would disrupt the flow and sound unnatural.

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How is "considerable impression" different from just saying "made an impact"?

While both phrases indicate an effect, "considerable impression" implies a more significant and noticeable impact than simply "made an impact." The adjective "considerable" emphasizes the degree and strength of the effect, making it a more emphatic expression.

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Is it correct to say "big impression" instead of "considerable impression"?

While "big impression" is understandable, it is less formal and generally less preferred in formal writing or speech compared to "considerable impression." Using "big" is not grammatically incorrect, but "considerable" is a more sophisticated and widely accepted choice in formal contexts.