a complete draft

USAGE SUMMARY

"a complete draft" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to refer to a finished piece of writing that is ready to be sent for evaluation or review. For example, "I submitted a complete draft of my essay to my professor for grading."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Four more weeks and he had a complete draft.

The New Yorker

Larissa produces a complete draft, following the original almost word by word, with many marginal comments and observations.

The New York Times - Books

Ballard would habitually begin a complete draft by hand, before moving to a second, typewritten version which would be further revised by hand.

Independent

When King arrived at the Willard Hotel in Washington the night before the march, he still didn't have a complete draft.

The New York Times

Ms. Nesbit said that Mr. Crichton was "the most private of all authors that I have ever met in my life," and that he never showed his agent or his editor any material before he had a complete draft.

The New York Times - Books

It had the vernacular directness and narrative propulsion he was looking for, and it gave him the impulse he needed to tape his scroll together and get a complete draft on paper.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

By August, the trio had a completed draft to send to Mitchell.

The New Yorker

She looked for it on his computer and discovered a completed draft.

The New York Times

Dispatching a completed draft to his agent, Paul Reynolds, at the beginning of 1959, he sounded pessimistic about its chances: "I can readily think of a hundred reasons why Americans won't like this book.

The Guardian - Books

The mountaintop is a completed draft.

Huffington Post

I started work on O, Africa! in February 2007 and had a completed draft manuscript by October 2009.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to stages of document creation, use "a complete draft" to signal a version ready for review, revision or submission.

Common error

Don't assume a complete draft is ready for publication. It typically requires further revisions and edits to ensure clarity and accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "a complete draft" is as a noun phrase functioning as a direct object or subject complement. Ludwig shows that it is typically modified by verbs such as "have", "submit", or "finish" to describe the state of a writing project.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

43%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a complete draft" is a noun phrase commonly used to refer to a fully written version of a document that is ready for review or revision. While grammatically correct and understandable, it is most frequently used in the context of news, media and science. Ludwig's examples show its adaptability across different fields. Consider it a tool to mark the progression of your writing, ensuring you balance this milestone with careful editing to achieve a polished final result.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a finalized manuscript

Emphasizes the finished nature of the written work; focuses on the manuscript aspect.

a finished version

Highlights the completion of a specific iteration; broader application than just writing.

a completed text

Focuses on the completion of the writing without specifying its form.

a polished draft

Highlights the refinement and finalization of the draft.

a revised manuscript

Emphasizes the iterative nature of writing and implies improvements have been made.

a final revision

Highlights that the last step in a series of changes has been applied to the draft.

the ultimate version

Indicates a final, possibly definitive, edition.

the concluding rendition

Emphasizes the culmination of a process of writing, performing, or interpreting.

the definitive edition

Suggests that the version is the most authoritative and complete.

the last copy

Implies that there will not be future copies or edits.

FAQs

How is "a complete draft" used in writing?

The phrase "a complete draft" signifies a version of a written work that is fully written but may require further revisions. For example, "I finished "a complete draft" of my novel last night."

What's the difference between "a complete draft" and a final version?

While "a complete draft" signifies the end of the initial writing phase, the final version has undergone editing and revisions. The final version represents the polished form of "a complete draft".

What are some alternatives to saying "a complete draft"?

Alternatives include "a finalized manuscript", "a finished version", or "a completed text", depending on the specific context.

Can "a complete draft" be used in scientific writing?

Yes, "a complete draft" is appropriate in scientific writing to refer to a full version of a paper or report that is ready for review and feedback, as you can see on Ludwig AI's examples from science.