a pertinent question is

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a pertinent question is" is correct and usable in written English.
You would use it when introducing a relevant and meaningful question. For example, "A pertinent question is: How can we ensure a safe and secure online experience for our customers?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

For Conservatives to the right of the party, a pertinent question is being asked: is the bedroom tax now costing us more socially than it is saving financially?

The Guardian

But in the current international climate, a pertinent question is how insurance providers will distinguish between acts of war and terrorism.

The New York Times - Travel

Matt Cohler of Facebook: A pertinent question is how do you bring Silicon Valley to Oxford?

TechCrunch

However, a pertinent question is how this new economic status has impacted on the wealth and health of her citizens.

Health Economics Review

A pertinent question is then as follows: how sensitive is the performance of the detector to the errors in signal and/or noise distributions?

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

In light of the recently described role for Cr and hypoxic signaling in the gut, a pertinent question is whether maternal Cr supplementation may also protect against necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a severe intestinal disorder prevalent in low birth weight, preterm infants [75].

Clinical and Translational Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

That the Prime Minister's answer to such a pertinent question was the same as it would have been five years ago shows that on low pay and falling living standards, his party has no answers beyond an almost religious faith in the market sorting itself out.

Vice

Two scenarios were considered; (i) the data sets that had been completed via MI were resampled, and a pertinent question was: for every bootstrap draw, how should subjects be sampled across the imputed data sets?

BMC Medical Research Methodology

As ubiquitin mainly functions as polyubiquitins, a more pertinent question is how does a polyubiquitin fluctuate at the quaternary level and achieve its target recognition specificity?

eLife

A highly pertinent question is whether eIF4E is a pivotal target that mediates the therapeutic activity of these inhibitors in cancer.

Biochemical Society Transactions

Indeed, a more pertinent question is whether Britain has achieved what Mark Carney calls "escape velocity".

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a pertinent question is" to introduce a question that is directly and importantly related to the topic being discussed. It signals that the question is not merely relevant, but also crucial for understanding or resolving the issue.

Common error

Avoid using "a pertinent question is" in overly casual contexts. While grammatically correct, it can sound stilted or pretentious in informal settings. Opt for simpler alternatives like "a key question is" or rephrase the sentence altogether for a more natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a pertinent question is" serves as an introductory phrase to highlight the significance and direct relevance of the question being posed. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct. It directs the audience's attention to a critical inquiry.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a pertinent question is" is used to introduce a significant and relevant question, signaling its importance to the discussion. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and serves to focus attention on a critical inquiry. While it appears most frequently in science and news and media contexts, its formal tone suggests avoiding it in overly casual situations. Alternatives like "a relevant question is" or "a key question is" can be used for a slightly less formal tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A relevant question is

Replaces "pertinent" with "relevant", indicating the question is related to the matter at hand with almost the same meaning.

An important question is

Substitutes "pertinent" with "important", highlighting the significance of the question.

A key question is

Replaces "pertinent" with "key", emphasizing the crucial nature of the question.

A critical question is

Changes "pertinent" to "critical", suggesting the question is essential to consider.

A significant question is

Replaces "pertinent" with "significant", indicating the question has substantial importance.

A crucial question to ask is

Adds "to ask" to specify that the questions must be asked or formulated.

The central question is

Specifies that the questions is the focus of interest.

The main question is

Similar to "key", but uses "main" to point out the primary question.

What needs to be asked is

Changes the structure to emphasize the act of questioning itself.

It is crucial to ask

Shifts the focus to the necessity of posing the question.

FAQs

How do I use "a pertinent question is" in a sentence?

Use "a pertinent question is" to introduce a question that's directly relevant and important to the topic at hand. For instance, "A pertinent question is: how can we improve customer satisfaction?"

What are some alternatives to "a pertinent question is"?

You can use alternatives like "a relevant question is", "an important question is", or "a key question is" depending on the context and the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "a pertinent question is" and "a relevant question is"?

"Pertinent" suggests a more direct and crucial relevance than "relevant". While both indicate a connection to the topic, "pertinent" implies the question is essential to understanding or resolving the issue.

Is it okay to use "a pertinent question is" in informal writing?

While grammatically correct, "a pertinent question is" can sound formal or even pretentious in casual contexts. In informal writing, consider using simpler alternatives like "a key question is" or rephrasing the sentence for a more natural tone.