a representative instance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a representative instance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a specific example that illustrates a broader concept or category. Example: "The study provided a representative instance of how climate change affects coastal communities."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Figure 8 shows one of the instances for an empirical distribution of distance measurement or RSSI error, (a) CASE-I and (b) CASE-II. Figure 8 A representative instance for an empirical distribution of the DME or RSSI error for network size = 200 nodes.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

A representative instance of the latter is Angelman syndrome (AS), a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, with clinical features of mental retardation, developmental delay, ataxia and epilepsy.

Cell Death and Disease

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Each cluster structure contains the representative instance and only the identifiers of the instances that are members of the cluster with their similarity scores.

Journal of Big Data

Sales representatives, for instance, can get fired if they don't hit their numbers.

The New York Times

For foreign sales representatives, for instance, it has been the perfect get-out-of-jail card when they don't reach their quotas.

The New York Times

However, it is possible that Norwegian physicians interact more frequently with drug company representatives, for instance, and that this may explain some of the variation in prescribing behaviour.

BMC Health Services Research

Therefore, further studies are necessary and they require switching from the abstract view of a topological pattern to the level of their various representatives, the instances of a pattern.

BMC Systems Biology

An important issue in active learning is the establishment of a compromise between exploration finding representative instances in the dataset that are useful to label, focusing on completeness and exploitation sharpening the classification boundaries, focusing on accuracy.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

The work described in this paper supports a broader goal related to the identification of representative instances for each class in the absence of previous descriptions of some or all the classes, in order to get a classification model that is able to fully recognize the target concept, including all the classes to learn no matter how frequent or rare they are.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

In the Transitive heuristic, the representatives are instances that are selected randomly from the data set, while in the PMR-Transitive heuristic they are fictive and computed based on the profile of the cluster's members.

Journal of Big Data

Then, the motif compasses its own representatives, the instances of the motif.

BMC Systems Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a representative instance" when you want to provide a specific example that accurately reflects a larger trend, category, or phenomenon. This helps illustrate a point more concretely.

Common error

Avoid using "a representative instance" in overly informal contexts. Simpler phrases like "a good example" or "a typical case" may be more appropriate in casual conversation or less formal writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a representative instance" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or an object in a sentence. It introduces a specific example meant to illustrate a more general point. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

66%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a representative instance" is a grammatically correct phrase used to introduce an example that typifies a larger concept or trend. Ludwig AI affirms its usability. While primarily found in scientific and news contexts, it leans towards formal communication and precision. For less formal situations, consider using alternatives like "a typical example". The phrase's function is to provide concrete illustrations, making abstract ideas more understandable. Although not very frequent, its precise meaning makes it valuable in analytical and descriptive writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a typical case

Replaces "instance" with a more common synonym, emphasizing the typicality of the example.

a characteristic example

Substitutes both "representative" and "instance" with synonyms, highlighting the typical characteristics of the example.

an illustrative example

Focuses on the example's ability to clarify or explain a concept.

a prime example

Emphasizes the high quality and relevance of the example.

a textbook example

Indicates an example that is so clear and well-defined that it could be used in educational materials.

a classic instance

Highlights the traditional or well-established nature of the example.

a model case

Implies that the example sets a standard for others to follow.

a demonstrative case

Focuses on the example's ability to clearly show or prove a point.

a significant illustration

Emphasizes the importance and relevance of the illustration.

a telling example

Suggests that the example reveals something important or insightful.

FAQs

How can I use "a representative instance" in a sentence?

You can use "a representative instance" to introduce an example that typifies a broader category. For example, "This study provides a representative instance of the challenges faced by small businesses during economic downturns."

What's a simpler way to say "a representative instance"?

Alternatives include "a typical example", "a good example", or "a characteristic example", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "a representative instance" or "a typical instance"?

Both are correct, but "a representative instance" implies that the example accurately reflects a larger set, while "a typical instance" simply means it's common or usual.

When is it appropriate to use "a representative instance" in writing?

It's suitable for formal writing, reports, or academic papers where you need to introduce a specific example to support a broader claim or analysis. In less formal contexts, simpler alternatives may be preferred.