a granular knowledge

USAGE SUMMARY

'a granular knowledge' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a type of knowledge that is thorough and in-depth. For example: "The teacher had a granular knowledge of the material, which allowed her to answer all the students' questions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

If, as Kilcullen and Crumpton maintain, the battlefield in the global counterinsurgency is intimately local, then the American government needs what McFate calls a "granular" knowledge of the social terrains on which it is competing.

The New Yorker

DeMaio, 39, has a well-stocked campaign treasury, the support of the editorial page of the U-T San Diego newspaper and a granular knowledge of the district's voting patterns.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

That fixation on details has earned him praise as a leader with granular knowledge of his domain, as well as occasional ribbing from rivals.

The New Yorker

Good serendipity is a slight of hand it requires deep and granular knowledge, and the fact of its seeming to happen by accident is an artifact of naivety, if anything.

TechCrunch

As brewer SABMiller's water expert, David Grant, explains: a partner on water stewardship issues must have a wide breadth of international experience, while exhibiting the most granular knowledge of local issues.

The Guardian

In addition to granular knowledge, Williams interjects practical advice on things like managing a team and directing and his own personal insights on the mental tension between working for love vs. profit.

Vice

We built our trust in people over time as we accumulate granular knowledge of the person's thoughts and behaviour, 140 characters at a time".

The Guardian

His visitors invariably come away impressed by his granular knowledge of the N.B.A., in particular.

The New Yorker

Without granular knowledge of how the brain's billions of neurons connect and give rise to individual behaviors, it's not possible to predict behavior, let alone whole personality types.

Huffington Post

In addition, peer reviewers tend to evaluate work in terms of their own research interests and may not possess the granular knowledge required for expert analysis outside their immediate field nor the broader knowledge needed for making 'big picture' judgements about the importance of research.

Plosone

To address this issue, we first introduce a granular structure distance to measure the difference between two granular structures within a unified knowledge representation.

Information Sciences

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a granular knowledge" when you want to emphasize a deep and detailed understanding of a particular subject, system, or process. It suggests not just surface-level awareness but a comprehensive grasp of the intricacies involved.

Common error

Avoid using "a granular knowledge" when a simpler phrase like "detailed understanding" or "thorough knowledge" would suffice. The term is best reserved for situations where the depth and specificity of the knowledge are truly significant and relevant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a granular knowledge" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "granular" modifies the noun "knowledge". It describes the type or quality of knowledge possessed. Ludwig's AI confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a granular knowledge" is a phrase used to describe a very detailed and in-depth understanding. While grammatically correct, as Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is relatively rare, appearing mostly in News & Media and Science contexts. When using this phrase, ensure you are emphasizing a deep and specific level of knowledge, not just general awareness. Consider alternatives like "thorough understanding" or "detailed comprehension" for broader applications. Use "a granular knowledge" when highlighting intricacies and nuances within the subject matter.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

thorough understanding

Replaces "knowledge" with "understanding" and "granular" with "thorough" to emphasize completeness.

detailed comprehension

Substitutes "knowledge" with "comprehension" and "granular" with "detailed", focusing on a deep level of understanding.

in-depth expertise

Uses "expertise" instead of "knowledge" and "in-depth" for "granular", implying a specialized and profound understanding.

intimate familiarity

Replaces "knowledge" with "familiarity" and "granular" with "intimate", highlighting a close and personal understanding.

profound insight

Changes "knowledge" to "insight" and "granular" to "profound", suggesting a deep and penetrating understanding.

meticulous grasp

Emphasizes precision and attention to detail in understanding, using "grasp" for "knowledge" and "meticulous" for "granular".

comprehensive expertise

Combines the idea of completeness and specialized understanding, swapping "knowledge" for "expertise" and "granular" for "comprehensive".

exhaustive understanding

Stresses the thoroughness of the understanding, using "exhaustive" instead of "granular".

minute awareness

Highlights the small details of understanding, replacing "knowledge" with "awareness" and "granular" with "minute".

fine-grained appreciation

Uses "appreciation" to denote understanding, with "fine-grained" replacing "granular" to emphasize detail.

FAQs

What does "a granular knowledge" mean?

The phrase "a granular knowledge" refers to a very detailed and in-depth understanding of a particular subject or area. It suggests knowing the specifics and nuances, not just the general overview.

How can I use "a granular knowledge" in a sentence?

You can use "a granular knowledge" to describe someone's expertise. For example: "The engineer had "a granular knowledge" of the software, allowing her to quickly identify and fix the bugs."

What's the difference between "a detailed knowledge" and "a granular knowledge"?

While both phrases indicate a high level of understanding, "a granular knowledge" emphasizes a finer level of detail and a more comprehensive grasp of individual components. "A detailed knowledge" may focus on key aspects, but "granular" suggests knowing even the smallest parts.

What are some alternatives to "a granular knowledge"?

Some alternatives to "a granular knowledge" include "thorough understanding", "detailed comprehension", and "in-depth expertise". The best choice depends on the specific context.