a brief excerpt

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'a brief excerpt' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to a piece of writing or a quotation that is shorter than the full text. For example, "Here is a brief excerpt from the book that I just read."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

Here is a brief excerpt of our conversation.

The New Yorker

The video is here and a brief excerpt is here.

The Washington Post

(You can also read a brief excerpt, in this month's issue of Cosmopolitan magazine).

The New York Times

She read a brief excerpt from "Mockingbird," and the first chapter of "Watchman".

The New Yorker

A brief excerpt from "Newsweek", June 18 , 1964 tells of the death at 73 of the Italian artist Giorgio Morandi.

The New Yorker

Each jacket was assigned to a different artist, and Mr. Anderson wrote a brief excerpt for each book.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

What follows below is a very brief excerpt from a feature-length interview with Dave Hickey, whose book 25 Women: Essays on Their Art published this fall, over at Momus.

University of Chicago

His Calaf in Puccini's Turandot (in what was arguably the greatest opera recording made since the Callas/DeStefano Tosca) stands out, as does a very brief excerpt from Verdi's Otello that he did on an early "Live From Lincoln Center" that is marvelous in and of itself, but achingly painful as a reminder of what could have been had he committed himself to it.

Huffington Post

And there's another really cool feature: for sites that don't have supported embeds, Embedly will still generate a preview of the site that displays an image, headline, and brief excerpt (think the previews you see when you share a link on Facebook and you'll get the idea).

TechCrunch

Brief excerpt from a letter written by the wife of an instructor in English at the University of Chicago: "The laundry in our new building has two Bendices".

The New Yorker

Hazzard read a brief, painful excerpt about war and then answered questions for an hour.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a brief excerpt" when you want to highlight a specific point without overwhelming the reader with excessive detail. Ensure the excerpt is representative of the larger work.

Common error

Avoid presenting "a brief excerpt" without proper introduction or explanation. Readers need to understand why the excerpt is significant and how it connects to your argument.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a brief excerpt" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or object in a sentence. It identifies a small portion extracted from a larger body of text, speech, or performance. Ludwig examples show diverse applications across various fields.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Academia

33%

Science

6%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a brief excerpt" is a grammatically correct and frequently used noun phrase that refers to a short selection from a larger piece of content. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is widely applicable across various contexts, including News & Media and Academia. When using this phrase, it's crucial to provide context and indicate the source of the excerpt. Alternatives such as "a short passage" or "a quick quotation" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey. Remember to always properly introduce the excerpt to ensure clarity for your audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a short passage

Emphasizes the brevity and the textual nature of the selection.

a small selection

Focuses on the act of choosing a limited portion from a larger set.

a concise portion

Highlights the succinctness and the part-whole relationship.

a quick quotation

Implies a direct citation that is short in length.

a partial reading

Suggests an incomplete engagement with a text, focusing on a segment.

a snippet

Refers to a small piece of information or content.

a fragment

Indicates an incomplete piece, often implying it's part of something larger.

a sample

Suggests a representative piece used to understand the whole.

a piece

A general term for a part of something.

a segment

Indicates a distinct part or section.

FAQs

How can I introduce "a brief excerpt" in my writing?

You can introduce "a brief excerpt" by stating its source and explaining its relevance to your argument. For example, "As highlighted in "a short passage" from Smith's book...".

What's the difference between "a brief excerpt" and "a summary"?

"A brief excerpt" is a direct quotation from a source, while a summary is a condensed version of the main points. An excerpt uses the original author's words, whereas a summary paraphrases the content.

When is it appropriate to use "a brief excerpt" instead of paraphrasing?

Use "a brief excerpt" when the original wording is particularly impactful or significant. Paraphrase when the specific phrasing isn't crucial, and you want to convey the general idea more concisely.

What are some alternatives to saying "a brief excerpt"?

You can use alternatives such as "a short passage", "a concise portion", or "a quick quotation", depending on the context.