a too general

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a too general" is not correct in English.
The correct form would be "too general" without the article "a." Example: "The feedback provided was too general to be useful."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Anthologists may now be extending a too general welcome.

Stanford University

Conducting a fine-grained analysis requires a trade off between a high level of disaggregation, where no general conclusion can be reached, and a too general picture, where some information would be lost.

Journal for Labour Market Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Thanks JEFFREY TOOBIN: This is a fair point, though a too-general generalization about the mainstream media.

The New Yorker

Although this review focuses on similar areas to maintenance in SBSE and looks at refactoring, it was still a bit too general in comparison with the current survey.

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

Others posting in the comment section came up with various health-related ideas, like "learn to cook," or "run a mile" daily, or "reduce the consumption of sugar," etc., which are fine, but a bit too "general purpose" for Zuckerberg's own personal challenge, we'd wager.

TechCrunch

1) The claims in the Abstract are a bit too general.

eLife

Or "the observed variability in methylation is not restricted to any particular location within CGIs": the authors don't look at this effect across CGI in situ. 1) The claims in the Abstract are a bit too general.

eLife

Some days go better than others' 'The scale definitely apply etc., could be re-worded to be simpler' 'Qs 5&15 are unsure as my child is quite young and doesn't really share her feelings as such' 'Some of the questions were a bit too general.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Simple words are great because they're easy to use; however, they can make your poem a tad too general and therefore dull.

WikiHow

We're not sure if this is attributable to a partial reading of Butler's Gender Trouble or an altogether too general deployment of her theory of performativity.

Huffington Post

A zero-indegree vertex may represent an event perceived too general to need an explanation; a zero-outdegree vertex may represent an event too new to have influenced events important enough to mention.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for precision, replace the grammatically questionable phrase "a too general" with more standard alternatives like "too general", "overly broad", or "lacking specificity" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using the indefinite article "a" before "too" when it modifies an adjective like "general". The correct form is typically "too general" without the article. For example, say "The statement is too general" instead of "The statement is a too general".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a too general" attempts to function as a descriptive adjective phrase. However, Ludwig AI identifies this phrasing as grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "too general" without the article "a".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a too general" is occasionally used, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies it as such. The correct phrasing is "too general". To express a similar idea, consider using alternatives like "too broad", "lacking specificity", or "overly vague". These alternatives are more grammatically sound and will enhance the clarity and precision of your writing. While examples of the phrase exists across different type of sources like news, academic and science, its incorrectness makes it inadequate for more formal register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

too broad

Omits the article "a" to create a grammatically correct phrase.

excessively broad

Replaces "a too general" with a more direct adjective expressing excessive breadth.

overly broad

Similar to "excessively broad", but with a slightly different nuance.

not specific enough

Directly states the lack of required specificity.

lacking specificity

Focuses on the absence of specific details, rather than the general nature of the statement.

excessively vague

Emphasizes the lack of clarity and precision.

insufficiently detailed

Highlights the need for more detail.

overly simplistic

Shifts the focus to the lack of complexity rather than generality.

too high-level

Implies a lack of granular detail; appropriate in contexts where more detail is expected.

a generalization

Transforms the phrase into a noun, referring to the statement itself as a generalisation.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "a too general"?

No, the phrase "a too general" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct phrasing is "too general" without the indefinite article "a".

What are some alternatives to saying something is "a too general"?

Instead of "a too general", you can say it's "too broad", "lacking specificity", or "overly vague", depending on the specific context.

How can I make my statements less "too general"?

To avoid being "too general", provide specific details, examples, and context to support your claims. Focus on concrete information rather than abstract concepts.

What's the difference between "a too general" and "too general"?

The phrase "a too general" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Use "too general" instead, as it is the standard and grammatically correct way to express that something lacks specificity.