a subject about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a subject about" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly; instead, one should use "a subject of" or "a subject concerning." Example: "The professor introduced a subject about climate change in her lecture."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Ethics is a subject about which honorable people may differ.

The New York Times - Magazine

per a week of a subject about Child Literature activities which was selected by parents.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

"This is not a subject about which there is any ideological slant," Mr. Stone said.

The New York Times

Reviewing a book on a subject about which one has written oneself is difficult.

The Guardian - Books

Kaplan is an expert on French bread, a subject about which he has written nine books.

Princeton University

This is a subject about which I could say a great deal.

Yale University

As to judgment: politics is famously a subject about which honorable people differ.

The New York Times - Magazine

"It is a subject about which people do a lot of lying and self-censorship".

The Guardian - Books

I would frequently use Wikipedia as a primer on a subject about which I had little or no knowledge.

The New York Times

Scrambling, she decided to reinvent herself as an expert in a subject about which she knew next to nothing: housekeeping.

The New Yorker

That Mr. Weissenberg's artistry was not to every taste was a subject about which he could eventually wax coolly philosophical.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider rephrasing the sentence to use a relative clause, like "a subject on which," for improved grammatical structure and formality.

Common error

Avoid using "about" directly after "subject" as it often leads to grammatically incorrect constructions. Instead, opt for "of", "concerning", or rephrase using a relative clause.

Linguistic Context

The phrase, though common, functions incorrectly as it attempts to link a noun ("subject") with a preposition ("about") in a non-standard grammatical structure. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect, recommending alternatives for proper usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Academia

22%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "a subject about" appears frequently across various sources, it's crucial to recognize that Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Correct alternatives include using "a subject of" or "a subject concerning". These options ensure clarity and maintain grammatical integrity, especially in formal and professional writing. Remember to consider the context and choose the phrasing that best fits the tone and style of your content.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a subject concerning

Replaces "about" with "concerning" to provide a more formal and grammatically correct alternative.

a subject regarding

Substitutes "about" with "regarding", offering a similar meaning with improved grammatical structure.

a subject on which

Rephrases to use a relative clause, enhancing grammatical accuracy and formality.

a topic about

Uses "topic" instead of "subject" while retaining the original preposition, which is still grammatically questionable.

a matter of

Replaces the entire phrase with "a matter of", which is grammatically sound and conveys a similar idea.

a field concerning

Uses "field" instead of "subject" to denote an area of study or interest, paired with the more appropriate preposition.

an area regarding

Similar to 'field concerning,' but uses 'area' to describe the topic under discussion.

a theme regarding

Employs "theme" instead of "subject," slightly altering the focus to a more central or recurring idea.

a question concerning

Frames the subject as a question or issue that is being considered.

a point regarding

Uses "point" to refer to a specific detail or aspect of the main subject.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "a subject about"?

You can use alternatives like "a subject of", "a subject concerning", or "a subject on which" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "a subject about" or "a subject of"?

"A subject of" is grammatically correct. "A subject about" is generally considered incorrect in standard written English.

How can I rephrase a sentence using "a subject about" to make it grammatically correct?

Rephrase the sentence using "a subject of", or create a relative clause such as "a subject on which." For example, instead of "a book about history", say "a book on the subject of history."

Is "a subject about" ever acceptable in writing?

While commonly used, especially in informal contexts, "a subject about" is typically not considered grammatically correct in formal writing. It's better to use alternatives like "a subject of" or "a subject concerning".