a great overview

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a great overview" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe a comprehensive summary of your topic. For example, "This article provides a great overview of the history of the American Revolution."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

The video below offers a great overview of this.

The Guardian

A great overview about internationalisation which captures most of the contemporary issues is by Drummond Bone.

The Guardian

The Kerala feast for £16 a head will give you a great overview.

The Guardian - Travel

PC Magazine did a great overview of some of the state-of-the-art media slates released at CES.

The Guardian

This is a great overview of digital photography, from buying to composition to creating online Web galleries.

The New York Times - Tech

Leon Botstein has assembled a great overview, from the classic "Musique Funèbre" (1958) to the increasingly popular violin concerto "Chain 2" (1985).

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

Jim Crace, who's on the 2013 Man Booker shortlist of finalists for his novel "Harvest," said the new parameters would offer a greater overview of English-language literature but would also result in a less focused prize.

The New York Times

These results are nevertheless useful to keep in mind for a greater overview of the types of signals detected by each method and for comparison later.

Earth, Planets and Space

A more cynical view on Apple's stance might be that it's using privacy as a strategy to shield itself against a relative competitive weakness vs the kinds of big data powered services that companies with a greater overview of their users are able to launch.

TechCrunch

It was said that getting the views of such a large variety of parties helped achieve a greater overview over the diverse perspectives and priorities existing within the district.

BMC Health Services Research

To gain a greater overview of the fixed characteristics of the healthcare system in each country, we gathered data and produced a descriptive map of the macrofactors which could potentially influence routes to management of patients with acute cough or other signs of LRTI through the healthcare system for each country involved in the GRACE study.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a great overview" when you want to emphasize that something provides a comprehensive and valuable summary of a topic. It's suitable for reports, presentations, and articles aimed at giving a broad understanding.

Common error

Avoid using excessive subjective adjectives like "great", "amazing", or "fantastic" in formal writing. While "a great overview" is acceptable, consider more neutral alternatives like "a comprehensive summary" or "a detailed analysis" for academic or professional contexts to maintain objectivity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a great overview" functions as a noun phrase, where "great" is an adjective modifying the noun "overview". It typically acts as a subject complement or an object in a sentence, describing the quality of the overview provided, as Ludwig indicates.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a great overview" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe a comprehensive and valuable summary of a topic. As Ludwig's examples illustrate, it appears frequently in news, media, and science contexts. While versatile, it may be best to use more formal alternatives like "a comprehensive summary" or "a detailed analysis" in academic or highly professional settings. Keep in mind that, as Ludwig AI explains, while the phrase is generally acceptable, overusing subjective adjectives may weaken your writing in formal contexts. Therefore, consider more neutral alternatives if necessary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a fantastic overview

Emphasizes the exceptionally good quality of the overview.

a comprehensive summary

Focuses on the completeness and thoroughness of the summary.

an excellent summary

Highlights the high quality of the summary.

a detailed account

Emphasizes the level of detail included in the account.

a thorough analysis

Stresses the depth and completeness of the analysis.

a broad perspective

Focuses on the wide-ranging nature of the perspective offered.

an insightful analysis

Highlights the depth and understanding provided by the analysis.

a helpful outline

Emphasizes the practicality and usefulness of the outline.

a concise report

Focuses on the brevity and clarity of the report.

a general survey

Indicates a broad and less detailed examination.

FAQs

How can I use "a great overview" in a sentence?

You can use "a great overview" to describe something that provides a comprehensive and helpful summary of a topic. For example, "This book offers "a great overview" of modern physics."

What are some alternatives to saying "a great overview"?

Some alternatives include "a comprehensive summary", "an excellent summary", or "a detailed account", depending on the specific context and the aspect you want to emphasize.

Is "a great overview" too informal for academic writing?

While "a great overview" is generally acceptable, in formal academic writing, you might prefer more neutral and specific terms such as "a thorough analysis" or "a detailed report".

What's the difference between "a great overview" and "a general survey"?

"A great overview" implies a valuable and helpful summary, while "a general survey" suggests a broad but potentially less detailed examination of a topic. A "general survey" might lack the depth and insight offered by "a great overview".