a given person

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a given person" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a specific individual in a general context, often in discussions about examples or hypothetical situations. Example: "In this study, we will analyze the behavior of a given person in various social settings."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Personality traits of others: Remembering some personality traits for a given person has caused RIF for other traits of that same person.

Wikipedia

Building upon the principles of the Theory of Successful Intelligence (Sternberg1985,1996,1997), this paper describes "Success" as a relative concept, which is defined by a given person in relation to the socio-cultural context and personal desires.

Visualization in Engineering

that a given person has contact with.

Yale University

How can we tell if mindfulness will be an effective tool for a given person?

University of California, Berkeley

These indicate how much power a given person is using compared with his or her neighbours.

The Guardian

The individual risk was defined as a frequency of injuring a given person by hazardous factors of fires and explosions.

Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries

Nothing could be worse than benchmarking a given person against a preset rate of achievement, which would end up in sidetracking him or her.

Motricité Cérébrale : Réadaptation, Neurologie du Développement

The app works as follows: a message addressed to a given person is written and transmitted to another, who delivers it verbally.

Cornell University

Such max algorithms could, for instance, select the best Facebook profile that matches a given person or the best photo that describes a given restaurant.

Stanford University

We focus on tournament algorithms that can for instance select the best Facebook profile that matches a given person or the best photo that describes a given restaurant.

Stanford University

For instance, we can tell when a given person will generally succeed at academic pursuits, but not if she'll excel in a particular seminar on ancient hieroglyphics.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a given person" when you need to discuss hypothetical scenarios or examples involving an unspecified individual. It helps maintain generality while still referring to a single person.

Common error

Avoid using "a given person" when the context requires a specific identification. Overusing general terms can make your writing vague; replace it with a specific name or role when clarity is needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a given person" functions as a determiner followed by an adjective and a noun, modifying the noun "person". According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and usable in written English and is commonly employed to refer to a specific individual in a general context.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

Academia

30%

News & Media

25%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a given person" is a versatile phrase used to refer to an individual in a general or hypothetical context. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and widely used across various domains, including science, academia, and news media. Its purpose is to provide a non-specific reference, allowing for broader discussions about human characteristics or behaviors. While similar phrases like "a specific individual" or "a certain person" exist, the choice depends on the intended level of specificity. When writing, it's crucial to avoid overusing general terms when specific details are required and adapt to the level of formality of a given situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a specific individual

Emphasizes the particularity of the person being referred to.

a certain individual

Indicates that the person is not necessarily known or identified, maintaining a level of generality.

any particular person

Highlights that the reference applies universally to anyone.

an individual in question

Specifies that the person is under consideration or discussion.

a designated person

Implies that the person has been chosen or assigned for a specific purpose.

a nominated person

Suggests that the person has been formally proposed or selected.

a selected individual

Implies that the person was chosen from a group for a particular reason.

a named individual

Indicates that the person's identity is known and specified.

a person in particular

Emphasizes that the focus is on one person among others.

a respective person

Suggests that each person is being considered individually in relation to something else.

FAQs

How can I use "a given person" in a sentence?

You can use "a given person" to refer to someone in a general or hypothetical way. For example, "The study examines how "a given person" responds to stress in different environments".

What phrases are similar to "a given person"?

Similar phrases include "a specific individual", "a certain person", or "an individual in question". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to use "a given person" or "a specific person"?

Both "a given person" and "a specific person" are correct, but they have slightly different connotations. "A given person" often implies a hypothetical or general example, while "a specific person" suggests a known or identifiable individual. Choose the one that best fits your intended meaning.

When should I avoid using "a given person"?

Avoid using "a given person" when you are referring to someone specific whose name or role is already known. In such cases, use their name or title instead for clarity. If you need to be less formal, you can use "an individual" or "someone".