a general rule that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a general rule that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when stating a principle or guideline that is generally accepted or applicable in a particular context. Example: "A general rule that applies to most situations is to treat others with respect."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

Australians tend to have a preconceived idea of what Aboriginal Australia is meant to look like Wayne Quilliam "Whenever I'm creating a show for Australia, I tend to find – and this is just a general rule – that Australians have a preconceived idea of what Aboriginal Australia is meant to look like, meant to act, meant to sound," he says.

The Guardian - Arts

As a general rule, that's surely true, but is it enough to transform a five-point race into a tie?

The New Yorker

It can be taken as a general rule, that during MS-based experiments, a phosphopeptide mixture is separated using capillary liquid chromatography (LC).

Clinical and Translational Medicine

According to this view, computational mechanisms are mechanisms that have the function to manipulate medium independent vehicles in accordance with a general rule that applies to all vehicles and depends on the inputs for its application (Piccinini and Scarantino 2011).

SEP

In normative terms, the findings relate to BIONOF, but in a way that displays a general rule, that 'once the camel's nose gets inside the tent rapidly becomes uncomfortable', i.e., once government is involved, legal norms apply, originating in public law and impacting on the set-up of the PPP-arrangement at hand.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

These findings reveal a general rule that can determine the position of cell's inner skeleton.

eLife

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

There are a few general rules that can be used for analysis of n-grams of any length.

Journal of Cheminformatics

By Robert Mankoff November 14 , 2012As a general rule, anything that is embarrassing to one person will be funny to others.

The New Yorker

But as a general rule, when that happens, the pieces of the stack above and below it initiate a proprietary decommoditization layer in the stack.

TechCrunch

"As a general rule, something that uses more data has a higher environmental impact," Stephens continues.

Vice

"Failure to sustain growth has been a general rule, and that rule is likely to reassert itself in the coming decade," he says.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a general rule that", ensure the statement following 'that' is a clear and concise principle applicable in various situations. Avoid overly specific or conditional statements.

Common error

Avoid stating a "general rule that" as an absolute truth. Qualify the rule with phrases like 'usually', 'typically', or 'often' to acknowledge exceptions and maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a general rule that" functions as a discourse marker, specifically to introduce a principle, guideline, or assumption widely accepted or applicable in various contexts. The Ludwig AI and its examples reveal its common usage in academic, news, and general writing to signal a broad, often prescriptive, statement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Science

44%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a general rule that" is a versatile and commonly used introductory phrase to present principles or guidelines that are broadly applicable. Analysis confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently found across diverse sources, including news, scientific publications, and encyclopedias. This makes it suitable for both formal and informal writing. To ensure effective communication, qualify such rules to avoid overgeneralization and maintain credibility. Ludwig AI and its real-world examples suggest using "a general rule that" as a bridge to conveying common understanding or establishing a framework for reasoning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a common principle stating that

Replaces "rule" with "principle" and adds the verb "stating" to emphasize the formulation of the rule.

a typical guideline suggesting that

Substitutes "rule" with "guideline" and includes "suggesting" to soften the assertion.

a standard practice indicating that

Replaces "rule" with "practice" to focus on common procedures, using "indicating" to show implication.

a prevailing notion implying that

Employs "notion" instead of "rule" to convey a widely held belief, using "implying" to suggest a logical consequence.

a widespread assumption holding that

Uses "assumption" to frame it as an accepted belief, using "holding" to indicate the belief's persistence.

a fundamental tenet asserting that

Replaces "rule" with "tenet" to denote a core principle, employing "asserting" to convey a strong declaration.

a broad convention dictating that

Substitutes "rule" with "convention" to emphasize established norms, using "dictating" to show its influence.

a recognized standard stipulating that

Replaces "rule" with "standard" and adds "stipulating" to specify its provisions.

a universal principle postulating that

Uses "principle" to express a core idea, "postulating" to describe its theoretical nature.

a common understanding presupposing that

Replaces "rule" with "understanding" to highlight a shared belief, using "presupposing" to indicate an underlying assumption.

FAQs

How can I use "a general rule that" in a sentence?

You can use "a general rule that" to introduce a principle or guideline that is broadly applicable. For example, "A general rule that applies in negotiations is to always listen more than you speak."

What phrases are similar to "a general rule that"?

Alternatives include "a common principle stating that", "a typical guideline suggesting that", or "a standard practice indicating that". See more at "a common principle stating that".

Is it okay to use "a general rule that" in formal writing?

Yes, "a general rule that" is suitable for formal writing as it clearly introduces a principle or guideline in a concise manner. The level of formality depends more on the content following "that".

What's the difference between "a general rule that" and "a specific rule that"?

"A general rule that" introduces a broad principle, while "a specific rule that" introduces a more detailed and narrowly applicable guideline. For example, "A specific rule that applies to this project is to submit weekly progress reports" is more targeted than a general rule.