a various assortment of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a various assortment of" is not correct in standard written English.
The word "various" is redundant when paired with "assortment," as "assortment" already implies a variety. Example: "The store offers an assortment of candies, including chocolates, gummies, and hard candies."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

A various assortment of primaries, caucuses & conventions decisively obstruct a return to the old-fashioned political leader with a hand-picked & obedient delegation.

The New Yorker

As a boy, he summered in Islesboro where his father, "the Captain" allowed John and his brother Clayton (Archie) free rein to sail the Bay in a various assortment of boats of questionable seaworthiness.

The New York Times

Next comes the choice to add a various assortment of grilled items, sauces, dressings, vegetables and cheeses, to name a few.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

MERRIAM, Kan. — And now, a report from the Midwest, where a gangly hope has arrived in the form of children enrobed in various assortments of khakis and blazers, because six teenage boys are running for governor of the state of Kansas.

The Washington Post

A modern formulation of the second law, the law of independent assortment, is that the alleles of a gene pair located on one pair of chromosomes are inherited independently of the alleles of a gene pair located on another chromosome pair and that the sex cells containing various assortments of these genes fuse at random with the sex cells produced by the other parent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Scalia's friendship with his ideological nemesis Ruth Bader Ginsburg is well-known by now, and Scalia spoke warmly of it that day: their shared love of opera, and their custom of spending New Year's Eve together with their spouses and various assortments of their children and grandchildren.

The New Yorker

Some years, when the New York City Marathon falls on the morning after Halloween, I've been on the subway at 5 30 A.M. with pirates, cowboys, and farm animals with various assortments of flesh exposed, and found it difficult to discern whose days were ending and whose were just beginning.

The New Yorker

Mr. Leedy pointed out the car's various controls, an eclectic assortment of knobs, switches, buttons and levers mounted to metal bases on the wood dashboard.

The New York Times

Various groups using an assortment of devices that produce several stimuli have assessed the pain threshold and have attempted to quantify the pain experience in FM.

Arthritis Research and Therapy

We also learned that after a series of tumultuous, passive-aggressive relationships with various women and an assortment of medical and psychological woes, Nathan had finally come to replicate Lonoff's reclusive existence.

The New York Times - Books

Most hardware stores have an assortment of various springs, so you may need to experiment a bit here to find one that works for you.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Omit "various" before "assortment" as it is redundant; "assortment" already implies variety. For example, use "an assortment of options" instead of "a various assortment of options".

Common error

Avoid using "various" with "assortment" because "assortment" inherently means a variety of items. Redundancy weakens your writing; choose the single strongest word.

Linguistic Context

The phrase functions as a determiner followed by a noun phrase. However, it's grammatically flawed due to the redundant use of "various" before "assortment", which Ludwig AI points out. It aims to describe a collection with diverse elements, but the phrasing is stylistically weak.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a various assortment of" might seem descriptive, it's considered grammatically incorrect due to the redundancy of "various" with "assortment", as Ludwig AI explains. High-quality sources sometimes use it, but it's best to opt for alternatives like "a diverse assortment of" or "a wide range of" for clarity and conciseness. This phrase is uncommon and should be avoided in formal writing. Pay attention to best practices and common errors to improve your writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a diverse assortment of

Replaces "various" with "diverse", emphasizing the variety within the assortment.

a wide assortment of

Uses "wide" to indicate a broad selection, similar to "various".

an assortment of different

Adds "different" to reinforce the concept of variety already implied by "assortment".

a varied collection of

Substitutes "assortment" with "collection" and "various" with "varied".

a range of different

Uses "range" to convey a variety, similar to an assortment.

a selection of assorted

Reorders and uses "assorted" as an adjective.

a motley collection of

Emphasizes the diverse and sometimes mismatched nature of the collection.

a miscellany of

Suggests a mixture of different things.

a mixed bag of

Implies a collection with both good and bad elements.

a potpourri of

Evokes a fragrant mixture, implying a diverse and pleasing assortment.

FAQs

What's wrong with the phrase "a various assortment of"?

The word "various" is redundant when used with "assortment", as "assortment" already implies variety. It's more concise and grammatically sound to simply say "an assortment of".

What can I say instead of "a various assortment of"?

You can use alternatives like "a diverse assortment of", "a wide range of", or "a varied collection of" depending on the specific context.

Is it ever correct to use "various" and "assortment" together?

While technically understandable, using both "various" and "assortment" is generally considered poor style due to redundancy. It's better to choose one or the other, or rephrase the sentence for clarity.

How does using just "assortment" improve my writing?

Using only "assortment" makes your writing more concise and direct. Removing unnecessary words like "various" strengthens the impact of your message and enhances readability.