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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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a free data

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE 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

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.

Kent county council said this week that it is shortly to pilot a free data scheme on its website.

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.

We used a free data analysis software, RapidMiner, to perform the analysis (See Fig. 2).

This is a "free data trade" type situation with the best economic consequences.

News & Media

TechCrunch

CC: Yeah Facebook Zero is a free data service, it pulls out images — just down to the basics.

News & Media

TechCrunch
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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

The Economist

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

Plosone

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

Independent

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.

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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".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

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".

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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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.

FAQs

How to use "free data" in a sentence?

You can use "free data" in sentences like, "The company provides "free data" to its subscribers" or "Accessing "free data" can help students with their research."

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".

What's the difference between "free data" and "open data"?

"Free data" refers to data that is available without cost. "Open data" is not only free but also has minimal restrictions on its use and distribution.

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