a first understanding of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a first understanding of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when introducing an initial grasp or comprehension of a concept or topic. Example: "This report aims to provide a first understanding of the impact of climate change on local ecosystems."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

This physical picture seems naturally to lead to the mass, size scale and epoch of galaxy formation and, increasingly, to a first understanding of the detailed internal structure of these systems.

Columbia University

In order to gain a first understanding of the shape of the likelihood, one looks into the first and second derivatives of the empirical likelihood contrast with respect to the parameter of interest: the mixing matrix.

Handbook of Blind Source Separation Independent Component Analysis and Applications

This example illustrates the importance of first relying on a coarse-grained view of the target system (probably based on domains), which contributes to get a first understanding of the system's main components and relations.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

However, surveys are an important and efficient way to obtain a first understanding of what physicians consider useful to reduce alert overload.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

So in this case, the SBN technique can be used to provide biologically meaningful insights for a first understanding of the dynamics of a GRN.

BMC Systems Biology

The final selection of a theoretical background was not made until the qualitative research had progressed to a stage which allowed us to gather a first understanding of the most important empirical characteristics of the social phenomenon observed.

BMC Medical Ethics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and they were read and re-read several times to reach an initial first understanding of the text and to get a sense of the whole.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

"My first understanding of an architect was as the guy who fixed the roof," said François de Menil, the youngest son, who is now an architect himself, in New York.

The New York Times

By contrast, artificial intelligence can easily digest all financial historical data, determine historic trends, and access each and every current source of information to have an up-the-second understanding of the markets.

Forbes

Herein, we pursued a first mechanistic understanding of the kinetics of ligand-controlled Zn release from acid sulphate Thai paddy soils using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

Pedosphere

How can we achieve a third-person understanding of a phenomenon with a first-person existence?

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a first understanding of", clearly indicate that this is an initial perspective and further exploration may be necessary for a more complete picture.

Common error

Avoid presenting "a first understanding of" a topic as the definitive or only perspective. Acknowledge its limitations and encourage further investigation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a first understanding of" functions as a noun phrase, often used as an object of a verb or preposition. It indicates the beginning stages of learning or comprehending something, as confirmed by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Academia

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a first understanding of" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to convey an initial grasp or comprehension of a subject. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for formal and informal contexts, though more common in scientific, news and media, and academic writing. When using this phrase, ensure that you're introducing a foundational perspective and that further exploration might be required for a complete picture. Alternatives like "an initial grasp of" or "a preliminary insight into" can provide similar meanings with subtle variations. Be aware of not overstating the depth of the understanding when using this expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an initial grasp of

Focuses on the beginning stages of comprehension.

a basic comprehension of

Highlights the fundamental level of understanding.

a rudimentary knowledge of

Emphasizes the early stages of acquiring knowledge.

a preliminary insight into

Suggests a glimpse or initial perception.

an elementary awareness of

Highlights a basic level of consciousness or recognition.

a surface-level understanding of

Indicates a shallow, not in-depth, comprehension.

a beginner's view of

Highlights a fresh perspective from someone new to the subject.

a nascent understanding of

Emphasizes the emerging or developing nature of the understanding.

a starting point for understanding

Highlights that this is just a beginning.

a glimpse of

Focuses on getting just a short, quick look.

FAQs

How can I use "a first understanding of" in a sentence?

You can use "a first understanding of" to introduce an initial grasp or comprehension of a concept. For example, "This course provides "a first understanding of" quantum physics."

What are some alternatives to "a first understanding of"?

Alternatives include "an initial grasp of", "a basic comprehension of", or "a preliminary insight into", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "a first understanding of" in formal writing?

Yes, "a first understanding of" is appropriate in formal writing. It clearly indicates that the information presented is an initial overview and not necessarily exhaustive.

How does "a first understanding of" differ from "a comprehensive understanding of"?

"A first understanding of" implies an introductory level of knowledge, whereas "a comprehensive understanding of" suggests a thorough and complete grasp of the subject.