a poor comprehension of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a poor comprehension of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing someone's lack of understanding or grasp of a particular subject or concept. Example: "His poor comprehension of the material was evident during the exam, as he struggled to answer even the basic questions."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

But, Mr. Sherpao said the coalition government had a poor comprehension of the conflict in the tribal zone, and little cohesion.

The New York Times

This week a coroner heard how Abdullah had a poor comprehension of English and could not properly understand the meaning of the Home Office documents.

Independent

A poor comprehension of this influence, as well as its underlying mechanisms, may lead to incorrect diagnosis of salinization and the implementation of ineffective management actions.

Agricultural Water Management

A poor comprehension of the energy cost of exercise and the energy content of food may contribute to weight-gain and the poor success rate of exercise weight-loss interventions.

Physiology & Behavior

These two patients had verbal deficit and a poor comprehension of language.

British Journal of Cancer

The answers revealed a poor comprehension of the notion of community health insurance by health workers, administrators and health planners.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Critically, this conclusion was based on morphological species identifications and a relatively poor comprehension of the North Pacific subarctic flora, both factors that can strongly bias interpretations on the origins and migrations of algal taxa [ 12, 16].

BMC Ecology

MTV's Kevin P. Sullivan deried the choice to perform "I Kissed a Girl" as "poor comprehension of song lyrics", since Santana "is a lesbian and not just [a] drunk girl who kissed another girl after drinking".

Wikipedia

The religious belief was a factor significantly associated with poor comprehension of end-of-life decisions (p 0,044), namely withhold life-sustaining treatment.

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

Gestures are an important aspect of non-verbal communication, but people with schizophrenia have poor comprehension of them.

Psychiatry Research

The government correctly highlights poor comprehension of English, poor take-up of pre-school education and poor protection of rights – especially for women – among some ethnic minority groups.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a poor comprehension of", ensure that the context clearly indicates what specific subject or concept is not being understood. Be specific to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "a poor comprehension of" without specifying what is poorly understood. Without clear context, the phrase becomes vague and loses its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a poor comprehension of" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a deficiency in understanding a particular subject or concept. As Ludwig AI pointed out, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

46%

News & Media

29%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a poor comprehension of" is used to describe a lack of understanding or an inadequate grasp of a particular subject or concept. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct. It is most commonly found in scientific and news media contexts. While grammatically sound, it's important to provide clear context about what is poorly understood to avoid vagueness. Alternatives like "a limited understanding of" or "a weak grasp of" can offer nuanced ways to express the same idea. To enhance writing, be specific about the subject being comprehended and consider the audience to choose the most appropriate phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a limited understanding of

Replaces "comprehension" with "understanding" and uses "limited" instead of "poor", softening the phrasing slightly.

a weak grasp of

Substitutes "comprehension" with "grasp" and "poor" with "weak", offering a slightly different figurative expression.

a deficient understanding of

Replaces "poor" with "deficient", suggesting a more formal and technical tone.

a superficial knowledge of

Focuses on the lack of depth in knowledge rather than comprehension, implying a surface-level understanding.

a basic misunderstanding of

Shifts the focus to an incorrect understanding rather than a lack of understanding.

a faulty interpretation of

Highlights an incorrect interpretation, suggesting that the information was processed incorrectly.

an inadequate appreciation of

Emphasizes a lack of understanding of the importance or value of something.

a skewed perception of

Indicates a distorted or biased understanding, rather than simply a lack of comprehension.

a blurry conception of

Uses "blurry conception" as a more figurative way to describe a vague or unclear understanding.

a hazy awareness of

Suggests a faint or indistinct understanding, implying a lack of clarity.

FAQs

What are some ways to rephrase "a poor comprehension of"?

Alternatives include "a limited understanding of", "a weak grasp of", or "a deficient understanding of depending on the context.

How does "a poor comprehension of" differ from "a misunderstanding of"?

"A poor comprehension of" suggests a lack of understanding, while "a misunderstanding of" indicates an incorrect or inaccurate understanding.

Is it acceptable to use "a poor comprehension of" in formal writing?

Yes, "a poor comprehension of" is grammatically correct and can be used in formal writing. However, consider more precise alternatives like "a limited understanding of" for enhanced clarity.

What factors might contribute to "a poor comprehension of" a subject?

Factors can include lack of prior knowledge, complex terminology, or insufficient explanation. Identifying these factors can help improve understanding.