a good sample of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a good sample of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a representative example of a larger group or category. Example: "This painting is a good sample of the artist's unique style and technique."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

"They included a good sample of the big names.

The New Yorker

It performs the invaluable task of presenting a good sample of artefacts of the past 60 years.

The Guardian - Arts

Most interestingly for these purposes, there is a good sample of Russian futurism, or cubo-futurism, including work by Exter, Goncharova, Kliun, Larionov, Malevich, Popova and Rozanova.

The Guardian - Arts

The Miracle of Fall provides a good sample of driving tours in the Midwest -- a region that gets little credit for fall beauty.

The New York Times - Travel

The Elko area is a conservative enclave and a good sample of what Nevada is like outside its two big cities.

The New York Times

You can see a good sample of them without ever moving from the verandah of the main house because it is hung around with sugar-water feeders for the humming-birds, who hover just inches from your face.

The Guardian - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

28 human-written examples

I saw a good sampling of successful careers.

The New York Times

For a good sampler of budget Mediterranean, start in Villefranche-sur-Mer, just east of Nice.

The New York Times - Travel

For an entree, the masa tasting platter is a good sampling of different tastes.

The New York Times

They were from 46 countries — a good sampling of the New York City area.

The New York Times

And for $5, the catalog was deep enough to provide a good sampler of the classical music canon.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a good sample of", ensure the sample is genuinely representative of the larger population or category you're discussing. Consider factors like diversity, size and potential biases.

Common error

Avoid making sweeping statements or drawing broad conclusions based on "a good sample of" something, if the sample size is too small to be statistically significant, or if the sampling method isn't rigorous.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a good sample of" functions as a determiner phrase that modifies a noun. Ludwig AI confirms that it indicates a representative subset is being considered. The term "good" here signifies that the sample is considered adequate or reliable for the intended purpose.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

32%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a good sample of" is a phrase used to describe a subset that accurately represents a larger group. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used in various contexts, including science, news media and general discourse. When using this phrase, it's important to make sure that the sample genuinely represents the larger group to avoid overgeneralizations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a representative selection of

Emphasizes the representativeness of the chosen items.

a decent cross-section of

Highlights diversity within the selection.

a fair representation of

Suggests impartiality and balance in the chosen sample.

a broad spectrum of

Focuses on the wide range of elements included.

a substantial subset of

Indicates a significant portion of the total.

a telling illustration of

Emphasizes the illustrative nature of the sample.

an informative glimpse into

Suggests a brief but revealing view.

a meaningful excerpt from

Highlights the significance of the selected portion.

a pertinent illustration of

Highlights the relevance of the sample.

a relevant subset of

Emphasizes that the selection is applicable to the current situation.

FAQs

How can I use "a good sample of" in a sentence?

Use "a good sample of" to indicate a representative subset of a larger group. For example: "This study provides a good sample of customer opinions".

What are some alternatives to "a good sample of"?

You can use alternatives like "a representative selection of", "a decent cross-section of", or "a fair representation of" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "a good sample of"?

It's appropriate when you want to convey that the selected items or individuals accurately reflect the characteristics of the larger group from which they were taken. For example, "The survey included a good sample of voters from different age groups".

What factors contribute to a "good sample of" something?

A "good sample of" something is achieved through methods like random sampling, stratified sampling, and ensuring the sample size is large enough to minimize the margin of error and to be statistically representative.