a substantive document

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a substantive document" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a document that has significant content or importance, often in legal, academic, or professional contexts. Example: "The committee reviewed a substantive document outlining the proposed changes to the policy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"We believe a substantive document was drawn up last time," Joyce said.

The Guardian

What came out instead was a substantive document, involving concrete steps towards defusing the crisis.

The Guardian

But Syria has said it will not attend the meeting, reportedly to be held at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., beginning on Nov. 26, unless there is a substantive document that embodies concrete decisions leading toward a Palestinian state.

The New York Times

The meeting's timing appeared increasingly uncertain on Wednesday, with continuing clashes in the Palestinian territories and steps by Israel that Mr. Abbas's spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said were "hindering the endeavor to reach a substantive document to go to the conference".

The New York Times

The interview typically ended when both patient and therapist agreed that enough had been said to create a substantive document.

BMC Palliative Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

This substantive document sets out four inter-related and essential criteria to assess whether health services and programmes promote and protect the right to health as follows: "health services, goods and facilities … shall be available, accessible, acceptable and of good quality" (22).

Global Health Action

A substantive literature documents the disruption of circulating reproductive hormone concentrations after BPA exposures in animal models (reviewed by Richter et al. 2007; see also Bonefeld-Jørgensen et al. 2007; Goodman et al. 2009; Talsness et al. 2009).

Environmental Health Perspectives

Dai supported the idea of a "concise and substantive" joint document to be issued in conjunction with the visit.

The Guardian

October 12 , 2012Estate TRAs secure a "substantive hearing" of their judical review claim, lodging in June, that the two councils' supplementary planning document was unlawful.

The Guardian

A substantive disagreement.

The New York Times

She declined requests for a substantive interview.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and impact, use "a substantive document" to highlight that the document contains significant and meaningful content, especially in professional or academic settings.

Common error

Avoid using "a substantive document" in casual conversations or informal writing. Opt for simpler terms like "a detailed report" or "an important paper" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "a substantive document" is to act as a noun phrase, where "substantive" modifies the noun "document". This phrase functions as a subject, object, or complement within a sentence, denoting a document of considerable importance or content, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a substantive document" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English, typically employed in formal contexts to denote a document of significant content and importance. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, though examples are relatively rare, indicating uncommon usage. Its primary function is as a noun phrase emphasizing the depth and meaningfulness of the document, often found in news, science, and business settings. When a simpler phrase is needed, consider alternatives such as ""a significant document"" or ""an important document"".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant document

Replaces "substantive" with "significant", emphasizing the document's importance.

an important document

Uses "important" instead of "substantive", focusing on the document's relevance.

a comprehensive document

Substitutes "substantive" with "comprehensive", highlighting the document's thoroughness.

a detailed document

Replaces "substantive" with "detailed", emphasizing the level of information provided.

a well-developed document

Uses "well-developed" to convey that the document is thoroughly constructed and reasoned.

a meaningful document

Replaces "substantive" with "meaningful", highlighting the document's value or purpose.

a weighty document

Uses "weighty" to suggest the document is serious and important.

a document of substance

Rephrases the original to emphasize the document's inherent value and content.

a thorough report

Changes "document" to "report" and "substantive" to "thorough", changing the document type but keeping a similar sense of completeness.

an in-depth analysis

Substitutes "document" with "analysis" and "substantive" with "in-depth", changing the form of the text to emphasize analytical completeness.

FAQs

What does "a substantive document" mean?

The phrase "a substantive document" refers to a document that is significant, thorough, and contains important content. It implies that the document is not superficial but delves into meaningful details.

How can I use "a substantive document" in a sentence?

You can use "a substantive document" to describe reports, proposals, or agreements. For example, "The committee reviewed "a significant document" outlining the new policy changes."

What are some alternatives to "a substantive document"?

Alternatives include "a significant document", "an important document", or "a detailed document", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "a substantive document" in casual conversation?

While grammatically correct, "a substantive document" is more suited for formal or professional contexts. In casual conversation, simpler alternatives like "an important paper" or "a detailed report" may be more appropriate.