a common familiar

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a common familiar" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to describe something that is well-known or easily recognized, but the combination of "common" and "familiar" is redundant. Example: "In our discussions, we often refer to a common familiar among the team, which helps us connect on shared experiences."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Percent probability was generally described as a common, familiar expression that was readily understood by both professionals and the public.

Journal of Applied Volcanology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mistletoe Tyrannulet is a common and familiar small flycatcher of Central America and neighboring parts of Colombia.

Cornell University

Guatemalan Tyrannulet is a common and familiar small flycatcher of the highlands of southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and possibly Belize.

Cornell University

Once again, we are in danger of ignoring a common and familiar creature in favour of the rare and unusual.

The Guardian

The Cox proportionalhazard model Cox (1972) is a common and familiar choice among investigators to examine longitudinal time to event data.

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders

It is a common and familiar bird throughout much of its range, living in most habitats apart from thick forest.

Wikipedia

It claims that unlike Europe, with its different languages and legal systems, the Commonwealth has "shared values, a common language, familiar institutions and similar legal and regulatory systems".

Vice

Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a common scenario familiar to both patients under chronic hemodialysis and nephrologists.

BioMed Research International

The microtomography user community is very broad and the beamline users have a very diverse IT knowledge and experience, going from standard Windows users (most common) familiar with menus and buttons to computer experts (rare).

Advanced Structural and Chemical Imaging

But as with the disappearance of another common, familiar and taken-for-granted bird, the house sparrow, we must realise that this is telling us that something is amiss with the way we manage the natural world.

The Guardian - Opinion

There are important distinctions between the two forms of face recognition [22], and it is possible that our findings do not generalize to the more common familiar face recognition.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "a common familiar" in formal writing. Opt for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives like "a well-known figure" or "a familiar presence".

Common error

Be aware that using both "common" and "familiar" together can be seen as redundant. Choose the word that best fits your intended meaning to avoid unnecessary repetition.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a common familiar" functions as a descriptive term, aiming to convey that something is both widely encountered and easily recognized. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is not grammatically correct, suggesting it's better to use a more precise term.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a common familiar" attempts to describe something widely known and easily recognized. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect due to redundancy. While the phrase appears across various contexts like Science, News & Media, and Academia, its use is infrequent and discouraged in formal writing. Alternatives such as "well-known" or "familiar" are preferred for clarity and grammatical correctness. To improve your writing, avoid this phrase and opt for more precise and less redundant alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a familiar

Focuses on the aspect of being easily recognized or known, omitting the redundant 'common'.

a common

Highlights the widespread occurrence or knowledge of something, removing the overlapping 'familiar'.

a well-known

Replaces both 'common' and 'familiar' with a single adjective indicating widespread knowledge.

widely recognized

Emphasizes broad recognition, using a more formal and precise term.

generally known

Stresses the general awareness of something, providing a clearer alternative.

typically recognizable

Emphasizes how easy something is to spot.

a household

Implies that it is part of daily life.

a usual

Highlights how ordinary and encountered something is

an everyday

Highlights the casualness in its use.

a routine

Highlights how predictable something is

FAQs

Is "a common familiar" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "a common familiar" is grammatically incorrect. It's better to use alternatives like "a well-known figure" or "a familiar presence".

What can I say instead of "a common familiar"?

You can use alternatives like "a well-known", "a familiar", or "widely recognized" depending on the context.

Is it redundant to use "common" and "familiar" together?

Yes, using both "common" and "familiar" together can be redundant since they both convey similar meanings. Choose one that best fits the intended meaning.

How can I improve my writing by avoiding phrases like "a common familiar"?

Focus on using precise language. If something is well-known, use "well-known". If it's easily recognized, use "familiar". Avoid using both unless there is a specific reason to emphasize both aspects.