a touch of Question

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a touch of Question" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to imply a slight or subtle element of questioning, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "In her speech, she added a touch of question to provoke thought among the audience."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

STEVE COLL: A touch of Question Time.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

In "Questions About Angels," the title poem of his collection of the same name, BILLY COLLINS notes, with a touch of irritation, that the only question regularly asked about angels is "how many can dance on the head of a pin?" But he can think of many more questions.

The New York Times

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, a touch of humility will more than likely serve you well.

Huffington Post

Barrow answers this and other questions with a touch of mathematics.

The Guardian - Books

Didn't he now feel a touch of, well — "Satisfaction?" he asked, finishing the question.

The New York Times

As a purely financial investment, with a touch of added excitement from the commodity in question, this could really make sense.

Independent

Kopple also addresses, with a fairly light touch, the question of authenticity, when she shows several scenes of kids playing old-time rock and roll at one of the branches of the Paul Green School of Rock.

The New Yorker

Enhancing the body and mind through technology raises a number of questions, touching on the very essence of what it means to be human.

TechCrunch

We asked everyone from musicians like Le1f and Princess Nokia to designers like Luar Zepol a bunch of questions that touched on everything from what food was in their belly to what they were using to cover up their genitals.

Vice

Consenting participants will be presented with a series of questions on the touch screen and asked to 'touch' the response that represents their answer.

BMJ Open

"It lead to a lot of questions about why touching art was so taboo and what other people were making tactile art".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for precision, replace the ambiguous "a touch of Question" with clearer alternatives like "a hint of inquiry" or "a shade of doubt" to better convey the intended meaning.

Common error

Do not use "a touch of Question" when you want to convey a specific nuance of doubt or inquiry. Opt for more descriptive phrases to ensure clarity and avoid misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a touch of Question" is intended to function as a noun phrase, suggesting a subtle element related to questioning. However, as Ludwig AI explains, this is not a standard construction in English, making its grammatical function unclear. The intended function is to subtly introduce the idea of uncertainty or investigation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a touch of Question" is grammatically incorrect and rarely used in standard English. Ludwig AI flags this as a non-standard construction. While it aims to convey a slight element of inquiry or doubt, better alternatives like "a hint of inquiry" or "a shade of doubt" offer greater clarity and precision. Although some authoritative sources show examples of the words being next to each other, that doesn't make the expression "a touch of question" correct, especially considering that there's only one exact match.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a hint of inquiry

Replaces "touch" with "hint," suggesting a slightly more subtle or indirect indication of questioning.

a dash of questioning

Uses "dash" instead of "touch," implying a small amount of questioning added to something.

a shade of doubt

Employs "shade" to convey a subtle degree of uncertainty, rather than direct questioning.

a suggestion of inquiry

Substitutes "touch" with "suggestion," indicating a slight prompting towards questioning.

a trace of a question

Uses "trace" to denote a very faint or subtle presence of a question.

a suspicion of questioning

Replaces "touch" with "suspicion," suggesting a slight feeling or belief that questioning is involved.

an element of inquiry

Replaces "touch" with "element," focusing on the inclusion of questioning as a component.

a whisper of a question

Uses "whisper" to imply a barely audible or noticeable question.

a glimmer of inquiry

Substitutes "touch" with "glimmer," suggesting a faint or fleeting sign of questioning.

a note of interrogation

Employs "note" to convey a specific tone or aspect related to questioning or interrogation.

FAQs

What does "a touch of" mean?

The phrase "a touch of" generally signifies a small amount or slight element of something. For instance, "a touch of sadness" means a slight feeling of sadness.

What can I say instead of "a touch of question"?

You can use alternatives like "a hint of inquiry", "a shade of doubt", or "a suggestion of inquiry" depending on the context.

Is "a touch of question" grammatically correct?

While the individual words are correct, the phrase "a touch of question" is not standard English and sounds awkward. It's better to use more precise phrasing.

How can I use "a hint of inquiry" in a sentence?

You might say, "There was a hint of inquiry in her voice as she asked about the project's progress."