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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
a free data
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "a free data" is not correct in English.
The word "data" is typically uncountable in this context, so it should not be preceded by the article "a." Example: "We provide free data to all our users."
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
Alternative expressions(2)
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
17 human-written examples
The Telstra chief executive, Andy Penn, publicly apologised and offered a free data day as recompense.
News & Media
Kent county council said this week that it is shortly to pilot a free data scheme on its website.
News & Media
It is also the outcome of a lobbying battle inside government between a "free data" faction led by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the world wide web who has been advising government on making better use of open data, and the OS's current management allied with parts of the Treasury.
News & Media
We used a free data analysis software, RapidMiner, to perform the analysis (See Fig. 2).
Science
This is a "free data trade" type situation with the best economic consequences.
News & Media
CC: Yeah Facebook Zero is a free data service, it pulls out images — just down to the basics.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
43 human-written examples
To assuage all these concerns, the Climate Corporation has set up a free data-storage service for farmers, which others cannot access without the farmers' permission.
News & Media
All analyses were undertaken using a free data-mining software Tanagra (version 1.4.36, http://chirouble.univ-lyon2.fr/~ricco/tanagra/en/tanagra.html) with 1000 nonparametric bootstraps to obtain 95% confidence intervals.
Science
If you're on a free-data contract, it can be pretty much free, but it can be very expensive if you're on a pay-as-you-go contract.
News & Media
In this article we present design and implementation of a wireless sensor network, which consists of energy-efficient wireless sensor nodes with an integrated ultrasonic sensor, which establish a collision free data transmission in an emergency scenario.
"We better be offered more than a bloody free data day.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When referring to "data", avoid using the indefinite article "a" as "data" is generally considered an uncountable noun. Use "free data" instead.
Common error
Avoid using "a" before uncountable nouns like "data", "information", or "advice". Instead of saying "a data", use "data" or "some data".
Source & Trust
60%
Authority and reliability
1.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "a free data" is intended to function as a noun phrase, describing data that is provided without cost. However, it's grammatically incorrect as highlighted by Ludwig AI. The indefinite article "a" should not be used before the uncountable noun "data".
Frequent in
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News & Media
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Formal & Business
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Less common in
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Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, while the phrase "a free data" aims to describe data available without cost, it is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI indicates, the word "data" is generally uncountable, and thus should not be preceded by the article "a". It is recommended to use ""free data"" instead. This phrase is missing from common usage due to its grammatical errors. When indicating data is free of charge, aim for options such as ""complimentary data"" or ""data at no charge"" for better clarity and grammatical accuracy.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
free data
Removes the article "a" to correct the grammatical error; "data" is generally uncountable.
complimentary data
Replaces "free" with "complimentary" to provide a synonym while maintaining grammatical correctness.
no-cost data
Uses "no-cost" as an alternative to "free", offering a different adjective.
data at no charge
Rephrases to emphasize the absence of cost using a prepositional phrase.
unpaid data
Substitutes "free" with "unpaid", highlighting that there is no payment required.
gratis data
Replaces "free" with "gratis", which is a less common but valid synonym, adding formality.
data without charge
Uses a prepositional phrase to express that no payment is needed for the data.
freely available data
Adds "available" to clarify accessibility, while keeping the essence of being free.
data provided free of charge
Emphasizes the free aspect using a more descriptive phrase.
open data
Indicates data that is not only free, but also openly accessible for use and distribution.
FAQs
How to use "free data" in a sentence?
What can I say instead of "a free data"?
Since "a free data" is grammatically incorrect, you can use alternatives like "free data", "complimentary data", or "data at no charge".
Which is correct, "a free data" or "free data"?
Free data is the correct form. "Data" is generally an uncountable noun, so it does not take the indefinite article "a".
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
60%
Authority and reliability
1.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested