a much further

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a much further" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as "further" should not be preceded by "a" in this context. Example: "We need to investigate a much further distance to find the missing data." (should be "much further distance").

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

These were grown to a much further stage than previous attempts.

The Economist

But, I have to say, I still can't work out why the British, who have been living in a much further advanced civilisation, still choose the weather as a safe way to start their conversation.

The Guardian

In the Altuğ et al. [16] study, a much further increase in ANB than in the rest was found.

Progress in Orthodontics

Regarding the statistically significant decrease of the gonial angle, although it is in accordance with the four participating studies providing the corresponding treated groups [9] [11],[16], in the study of Altuğ et al. [16], a much further reduction was observed than in the others, standing as an outlier.

Progress in Orthodontics

Ideally we will see better studies with a much further reach in terms of participant numbers in the future that will serve the bisexual community positively and accurately.

Huffington Post

The inner five planets in the system orbit in a tightly knit configuration that would fit within the orbit of planet Mercury, while Kepler-11g, compared to its inner sister planets, orbits at a much further distance.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

HM: Yes, a company where the acquisition moves a bank much further along in a development cycle.

TechCrunch

And it's much more important to make a prediction much further back, months before death.

The Guardian - Opinion

I would have liked a government much further to the left than at present, but I've never got the party I wanted!

BBC

Sky Witness is also mentioned at Okop, a site much further north in Quintana Roo.

Wikipedia

But the discovery of an ancestor much further back than most white English families can trace theirs changed this.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for formal writing, avoid using "a" directly before "much further". Instead, consider using alternatives like "a much greater distance" or rephrasing the sentence to eliminate the need for the article.

Common error

A common mistake is including the article 'a' before "much further" when describing distance or progress. This often leads to grammatically incorrect sentences. Avoid writing "a much further distance"; instead, write "much further distance" or use alternatives such as "a much greater distance".

Linguistic Context

Adverbial modifier. The phrase "a much further" attempts to modify a noun, indicating a greater degree of distance or extent. However, Ludwig AI points out that this construction is grammatically incorrect in standard English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a much further" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. While it appears across various source types like News & Media and Science, Ludwig AI identifies it as a non-standard construction. Alternatives such as "much further" or "a much greater distance" are preferable. When describing distance or progress, avoid placing the article 'a' directly before "much further". To ensure grammatical accuracy, it's advisable to rephrase sentences using more accepted constructions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a much greater

Replaces "further" with "greater", emphasizing magnitude instead of distance.

a considerably further

Adds "considerably" to intensify the degree of distance or progress.

a far further

Uses "far" instead of "much" to denote a significant distance.

a significantly further

Replaces "much" with "significantly" highlighting the importance of the increased distance or progress.

a good deal further

Emphasizes the extent of the distance or progress using the idiom "a good deal".

a substantially further

Replaces "much" with "substantially", indicating a notable amount of progress or distance.

a lot further

Uses the more informal "a lot" to indicate a greater distance or extent.

a much advanced

Modifies the phrase to emphasize the advanced stage, focusing on development rather than distance.

a much extended

Replaces "further" with "extended", highlighting the increased duration or scope.

a much enhanced

Shifts the focus to improvement or enhancement achieved over a distance or period.

FAQs

Is "a much further" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "a much further" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. It's better to say "much further" or use alternatives like "a much greater distance" or /s/a+considerably+further.

What are some alternatives to "a much further"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like /s/a+much+greater, /s/a+considerably+further, or rephrase the sentence to avoid the issue altogether. For example, instead of "a much further distance", you could say "a significantly further distance."

Why is "a much further" considered incorrect?

The phrase is considered incorrect because "further" in this context doesn't typically take the indefinite article "a". The phrase becomes grammatically sound by removing "a" or replacing "further" with a noun that can be quantified, like "distance" (e.g., "a much greater distance").

How can I use "much further" correctly in a sentence?

Use "much further" without the article "a" when you want to indicate a greater degree or extent. For example, "The project requires much further investigation" or "They walked much further than expected".