a clear tale of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a clear tale of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a story or narrative that is straightforward and easy to understand, often highlighting a specific theme or event. Example: "The novel presents a clear tale of love and sacrifice that resonates with readers of all ages."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Amid all the non sequiturs there is a clear tale of human evolution and civilization's corrupting effects.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Modestly omitting the glorifying portion of his first name 'Hide-', i.e. 'excellent', was a clear tell-tale-sign of his personality.

Cell Communication and Signaling

Nevertheless, to select works for his analysis, Propp used all Russian folktales classified as a folk lore Aarne-Thompson 300-749 – in a cataloguing system that made such a distinction – to gain a clear set of tales.

Wikipedia

Even as a young boy, as he makes clear in "A Tale of Love and Darkness," Oz was keenly aware that his mother was adrift and that relations between his parents had eroded.

The New Yorker

His model, as the movie's literary references make clear, is "A Tale of Two Cities" rather than "Atlas Shrugged," which means that he's trying to simultaneously acknowledge the injustices of the existing regime while suggesting that both the revolutionary and anarchic alternatives would be much, much worse.

The New York Times

So much so that he flew to Berlin to inspect the archives of the group, and left there with a clear idea of what their tale was about.

The New York Times

I have a clear memory of the elderly Scandinavian ship captain who sported a huge white beard and filled me with tales of his life at sea.

Huffington Post

The almost complete absence of a narrative syntax to organise in a tale the parataxis of the endless repetition of a certain morpheme (usually more geometric than iconic) was already on its own account a clear hint of anti-classicality.

City, Territory and Architecture

It has become clear that the tale of a universal flood was widespread in Mesopotamia for an entire millennium and a half before the hapless Judaeans, defeated in the early 6th century BC by Nebuchadnezzar, were dragged away from their smoking cities into exile, there to weep beside the rivers of Babylon.

The Guardian - Books

Yet as the film's posters and trailers make clear, Goblet of Fire is a tale of 'dark and difficult times' whose 12A certificate denotes 'threat and horror' involving fearsome dragons, casual murder and men hacking off their own hands in weird satanic rituals.

The Guardian - Film

Even with his exoneration by an anti-doping tribunal in March and his largely successful efforts since Wimbledon to put his game back together, as witnessed by his tournament victory in Newport in July, it is clear he still views it as a tale of lifelong struggle in search of a happy ending.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "a clear tale of", ensure that the narrative indeed presents a straightforward and easily understandable account of events or a situation. Avoid using it ironically if the story is complex or ambiguous.

Common error

Avoid using "a clear tale of" if the subject matter is inherently complex or if multiple interpretations are possible. It's better to acknowledge ambiguity than to force clarity where it doesn't exist.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a clear tale of" functions as a descriptive noun phrase, typically preceding a noun or noun phrase that specifies the subject matter of the narrative. It characterizes the narrative as being easily understood, as evidenced by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a clear tale of" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe a narrative that is easily understandable. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability. While not exceedingly common, the expression appears across diverse sources, primarily in News & Media. When employing this phrase, writers should ensure that the narrative indeed provides the promised clarity. Alternatives like ""a lucid narrative of"" or ""a straightforward story about"" can be used to convey similar meanings with slight differences in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a lucid narrative of

Replaces 'clear' with 'lucid', emphasizing the ease of understanding.

a straightforward story about

Substitutes 'tale' with 'story' and adds 'about' for a more conversational tone.

an unambiguous account of

Uses 'unambiguous' to highlight the lack of confusion and 'account' to suggest a factual record.

an easily understood narrative of

Rephrases to emphasize the ease with which the narrative can be grasped.

a simple story of

Replaces 'clear' with 'simple', focusing on the lack of complexity in the narrative.

a transparent history of

Uses 'transparent' to indicate openness and lack of hidden information.

a well-defined account of

Replaces 'clear' with 'well-defined' to emphasize precision and clarity.

a readily comprehensible story of

Emphasizes the ease with which the story can be understood.

a distinct narrative of

Replaces 'clear' with 'distinct' to suggest a well-defined and easily recognizable narrative.

a precise description of

Focuses on the accuracy and detail of the account.

FAQs

How can I use "a clear tale of" in a sentence?

You can use "a clear tale of" to describe a story or narrative that is easy to understand and follow. For example, "The book presents "a clear tale of" survival against all odds".

What phrases are similar to "a clear tale of"?

Similar phrases include "a lucid narrative of", "a straightforward story about", or "an unambiguous account of", all of which convey a sense of clarity and directness in a narrative.

Is it always appropriate to use "a clear tale of"?

While "a clear tale of" is grammatically correct, it's best used when the narrative being described is, in fact, easy to understand. If the story is complex or open to interpretation, other phrases might be more suitable.

How does "a clear tale of" differ from "a simple story of"?

While both phrases suggest a lack of complexity, ""a clear tale of"" emphasizes the ease of understanding the narrative, whereas "a simple story of" focuses on the narrative's lack of intricate details or subplots.