a common premise

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a common premise" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a shared idea or assumption that serves as the foundation for further reasoning or argumentation. Example: "In many philosophical debates, a common premise is that all humans seek happiness."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

While the philosophical literature on the multiverse continues to grow (see (Collins 2009, 2012) and (Kraay 2014)), many of the arguments against it share a common premise: a multiverse would not, by itself, be a sufficient explanation of fine-tuning.

SEP

They all share a common premise, namely that Earth is the bee's knees, cosmically speaking.

Huffington Post

A common premise is that both major parties have grown dependent on the super-sized vested interests of a prior era, like big corporations, big government, big unions, and big professional lobbies.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

I had already prepared myself to hate a chunk where Carlin talks about fictional restaurant and bar names, a mind-numbingly common premise now (an open mic game: drink every time you hear a "Pho" pun), but his suggestion that TGI Fridays could sell more drinks if they changed their name to "Holy Shit It's Only Wednesday" made me laugh out loud.

Vice

I had already prepared myself to hate a chunk where Carlin talks about fictional restaurant and bar names, a mind-numbingly common premise now (an open mic game: drink every time you hear a "Pho" pun), but his suggestion that TGI Fridays could sell more drinks if they changed their name to "Holy Shit It's Only Wednesday" made me laugh out loud.

Vice

The literature on the return to education based on Mincer-type earnings function models has the common premise that a person's human capital translates into wages through productivity, regardless of the particular variant or extension of the model used.

IZA Journal of Migration

Noam Chomsky is the closest thing we have to Socrates in the American public square: a scathing questioner of virtually every common premise about who we Americans are and what we're up to in the world.

Huffington Post

Whatever their differences, all three main contenders went into Thursday's election with one common premise: the economy could not be rescued without deep cuts in public spending to escape a burden of debt left by the years in which Mr. Brown was chief steward of the economy.

The New York Times

The common premise is that, without regulating services, expenditure would be needed either to achieve equivalent regulation, or to remedy the consequences of an unregulated system.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

The most common premise is that if you quarrel with your parents and decide to leave home, you'll eventually end up lost in the woods – which is where the child-eating Baba Yaga dwells atop either a chicken's leg (pretty cool) or in a gingerbread house (pretty standard).

Vice

Here, we challenge the common premise that direct genotoxic effects are central to nickel carcinogenesis and probably to that of other metals.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a common premise", ensure that the premise is genuinely shared and understood by all parties involved in the discussion or argument to avoid misunderstandings.

Common error

Avoid assuming that a premise is "a common premise" without verifying that all parties involved actually agree with it. Clearly state the premise and confirm agreement before building upon it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a common premise" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It introduces a shared assumption or starting point, as confirmed by Ludwig's examples and analysis.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a common premise" is a noun phrase used to denote a shared assumption or starting point in a discussion or argument. As Ludwig AI suggests, its grammatical status is correct, though it appears relatively infrequently in written English. The phrase finds application across various contexts, including science, news media, and formal business settings. When employing this phrase, it's important to ensure the premise is genuinely shared to avoid misunderstandings. Related phrases include "a shared assumption" and "a mutual understanding", offering alternative ways to express the same concept.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a shared assumption

Focuses on the aspect of agreement or sharing among multiple parties.

a mutual understanding

Emphasizes comprehension and agreement between individuals.

a common understanding

Similar to mutual understanding, but can apply to a broader base of people or situations.

a shared belief

Highlights the element of faith or conviction that is held in common.

a basic assumption

Focuses on fundamental or underlying beliefs that are often implicit.

a fundamental assumption

Emphasizes that the belief is integral and foundational to the argument.

a general assumption

Implies widespread acceptance or prevalence of the belief.

a common ground

Focuses more on agreement or shared interests than underlying assumptions.

a point of agreement

Specific to contexts where explicit agreement is reached.

a common starting point

Highlights the initiation of a discussion or argument on shared terms.

FAQs

How can I use "a common premise" in a sentence?

You can use "a common premise" to introduce a shared assumption or starting point in an argument. For example: "A common premise in debates about climate change is that human activities contribute to global warming."

What are some alternatives to "a common premise"?

You can use alternatives like "a shared assumption", "a mutual understanding", or "a common understanding" depending on the context.

Is it necessary to explicitly state "a common premise" in an argument?

While not always necessary, explicitly stating "a common premise" can help clarify the foundation of your argument and prevent misunderstandings.

What makes a premise truly "common"?

A premise is "common" if it is widely accepted or agreed upon by the relevant parties. This can be based on empirical evidence, established knowledge, or shared values.