a simple knowledge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a simple knowledge" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when referring to basic or fundamental understanding of a subject, but it is more typical to use "simple knowledge of" followed by the subject. Example: "He has a simple knowledge of mathematics, which helps him with everyday calculations."

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

This information is typically used in natural language processing by a simple knowledge manipulation mechanism limited to the ability to match valences of structurally related words.

Artificial Intelligence

He thinks that a certain harmless enjoyment can be got from arts such as music and poetry, so long as one acquires only a simple knowledge of them, avoiding the complex technologies developed by the professional practitioners of those arts.

SEP

Although they have outperformed in terms of number of handovers and rate of ping-pong handover, a simple knowledge database is required to overcome the unnecessary handover issues, thereby increases the complex of operations and extra cost.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Pregnant women who received a simple knowledge translation tool reported higher rates of counseling on GWG and were more aware of the risks of gaining outside the appropriate range.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

A simple knowledge and wisdom shared among past and future generations.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

We developed a simple knowledge-based method to calculate interactions between the solvent and amino acids.

Biophysical Journal

To minimise the embarrassment experienced by participants a very simple knowledge score comprising only six questions was used; this may not have been as sensitive as more detailed surveys [ 25].

BMC Public Health

This approach has obvious appeal for lay readers of an analysis, providing simple knowledge translation rather than statistical outcomes.

Clinical Epidemiology

A post-lecture comprehension test containing 20 questions to evaluate simple knowledge and a further set of 20 question to evaluate application of knowledge was conducted with the purpose to measure learning.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

ChemSpider is available as a web service at http://www.chemspider.com/ and the Chemlist dictionary is freely available as an XML file in Simple Knowledge Organization System format on the web at http://www.biosemantics.org/chemlist.org/chemlist

Journal of Cheminformatics

SKOS (Simple Knowledge Organization System) is a W3C Recommendation that provides a means for representing knowledge organization systems in a distributed and linkable way.

Semantic Web for the Working Ontologist Effective Modeling in RDFS and OWL

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a simple knowledge", consider specifying the area of knowledge to provide context and clarity. For example, "a simple knowledge of basic first aid" is more informative than "a simple knowledge" alone.

Common error

Avoid using "a simple knowledge" when describing expertise requiring in-depth understanding. Reserve it for situations where only a basic grasp is needed or implied.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a simple knowledge" functions primarily as a noun phrase acting as the object of a verb or preposition. It describes the state of possessing a basic or uncomplicated understanding of a subject. Ludwig indicates that this phrase is acceptable but not the most common.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

20%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a simple knowledge" is an acceptable but infrequent phrase used to describe a basic level of understanding. Ludwig highlights its varying contexts, ranging from scientific papers to news articles, suggesting a somewhat flexible register. While grammatically sound, alternative phrases like "basic understanding" or "rudimentary knowledge" might be more common or appropriate depending on the specific context. Therefore, while not incorrect, writers should carefully consider whether "a simple knowledge" is the most effective way to convey their intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

basic understanding

Replaces the adjective and noun with a more common term for fundamental comprehension.

rudimentary knowledge

Emphasizes the foundational and underdeveloped nature of the knowledge.

elementary understanding

Highlights the initial and uncomplicated aspect of the comprehension.

superficial knowledge

Suggests a lack of depth and detail in the understanding.

foundational knowledge

Focuses on the core and essential aspect of the understanding.

working knowledge

Indicates practical familiarity sufficient for basic tasks.

passing familiarity

Emphasizes a brief and not necessarily deep acquaintance.

general awareness

Stresses a broad and non-specialized understanding.

basic literacy

Highlights the ability to understand fundamental concepts in a specific field.

limited expertise

Suggests a narrow range and depth of skills and information.

FAQs

How can I use "a simple knowledge" in a sentence?

Use "a simple knowledge" to indicate a basic or introductory level of understanding about a topic. For example, "A simple knowledge of computers is required for this job."

What can I say instead of "a simple knowledge"?

You can use alternatives like "basic understanding", "rudimentary knowledge", or "elementary understanding" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "simple knowledge of" or "a simple knowledge of"?

While both can be used, "simple knowledge of" is often preferred and sounds more natural in many contexts. For instance, "simple knowledge of mathematics" flows better than "a simple knowledge of mathematics".

What's the difference between "a simple knowledge" and "in-depth expertise"?

"A simple knowledge" suggests a basic grasp of facts and concepts, while "in-depth expertise" implies comprehensive understanding and mastery of a subject.