a moderately coarse

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a moderately coarse" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the texture or quality of an object, material, or even a person's behavior in a way that indicates it is somewhat rough or not fine. Example: "The fabric has a moderately coarse texture, making it suitable for outdoor use."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The general process of maceration on a small scale involved placing suitably crushed plant material, or a moderately coarse powder made from it, in a closed vessel and adding the selected solvent to allow the solvent sufficient time to penetrate the cell wall to solubilize the constituents within the cells and for the resulting solution to penetrate the cell wall outwards.

Chemistry Central Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

They are less well preserved (but still visible) in moderately coarse sediments (sand-sized) where silicification occurred during diagenesis (Figs. 4b and 9b, 9c).

Astrobiology

He came from a moderately wealthy family.

The Economist

1. Start a moderately hot grill fire.

The New York Times - Food

This is a moderately strenuous climb.

The New York Times - Travel

Kiev has a moderately continental climate.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It has a sweet flavor with a moderately spicy kick.

The New York Times - Food

Warm a griddle pan over a moderately high heat.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

BYU have pedigree after a moderately successful 2012 run.

The Guardian - Sport

He thinks they represent a moderately sound set of decisions.

The New Yorker

Matthew Kenney is a moderately talented chef with immoderate ambitions.

The New York Times - Food

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing textures, consider whether "moderately coarse" accurately reflects the degree of roughness you intend to convey. If it's only slightly rough, "slightly rough" might be more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "a moderately coarse" when the subject is actually very rough or extremely granular. Choose stronger adjectives like "very coarse" or "extremely rough" if the situation warrants it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a moderately coarse" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate the degree of roughness or granularity. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

35%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a moderately coarse" is grammatically correct and serves to describe a texture or quality that is somewhat rough, though not excessively so. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is usable in English, and provides examples in science, news and media. The phrase appears infrequently, it is versatile enough for use across various contexts, particularly when precision in describing texture is needed. When using this phrase, consider whether "moderately" accurately reflects the degree of roughness you wish to convey and consider alternatives if a different nuance is desired.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mildly coarse

A direct substitution, where mildly is swapped for moderately, to indicate a lesser degree of roughness.

slightly rough

Replaces "coarse" with "rough" and "moderately" with "slightly", indicating a minor adjustment in intensity.

somewhat grainy

Substitutes "coarse" with "grainy", focusing on texture, and "moderately" with "somewhat" for slight variation.

reasonably granular

Focuses on the grainy texture, replacing coarse with granular and moderately with reasonably.

fairly unrefined

Replaces "coarse" with "unrefined" and "moderately" with "fairly", suggesting a lack of processing.

somewhat crude

A combination of words with similar meanings, where crude is used to replace coarse and somewhat to replace moderately.

a bit crude

Uses "crude" instead of "coarse" and "a bit" instead of "moderately", implying a basic or raw quality.

quite unpolished

Expresses a lack of refinement, where unpolished replaces coarse and quite replaces moderately

relatively uneven

Focuses on the lack of uniformity rather than roughness, using "uneven" for "coarse" and "relatively" for "moderately".

slightly textured

Emphasizes the presence of texture, swapping "coarse" for "textured" and "moderately" for "slightly".

FAQs

How can I use "a moderately coarse" in a sentence?

The phrase "a moderately coarse" is used to describe something that has a texture that is neither too smooth nor too rough. For example, "The sandpaper had "a moderately coarse" surface, perfect for light sanding."

What's the difference between "a moderately coarse" and "a very coarse" texture?

"A moderately coarse" texture implies some roughness, but not to an extreme degree. "A very coarse" texture indicates a significantly higher degree of roughness. The choice depends on how rough the texture actually is.

What can I say instead of "a moderately coarse"?

You can use alternatives like "slightly rough", "somewhat grainy", or "fairly unrefined" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "a moderately coarse" or should it be "moderately coarse"?

Both forms are grammatically acceptable, but the inclusion of "a" depends on the context. "Moderately coarse" can be used as an adjective modifying a noun (e.g., "moderately coarse texture"), while "a moderately coarse" typically describes a specific instance or example (e.g., "a moderately coarse sandpaper").