about one grade

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "about one grade" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing academic performance, levels, or classifications that are measured in grades. Example: "After reviewing her test scores, it seems she is performing about one grade below her peers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

In terms of results, it concludes that private schools tend to do better than state schools by about one grade per student per subject.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

This reflects an improvement of about one severity grade.

BMC Psychiatry

On average, mice in the study had about a one-grade improvement in cataract severity after 4 weeks of treatment.

Science Magazine

Both gene expression-wise and with regards to prognosis approximately two-thirds of G2-tumors are similar to the low grade group whereas about one third resemble the high grade group [ 7, 8], which means that 40-50% of breast cancer patients currently get an unnecessarily imprecise estimate of their risk of recurrence.

BMC Cancer

Clutching a black-and-white Mead notebook, he began to read a story about one of his fifth-grade students at Public School 70 in the Bronx, one of the larger elementary schools in New York.

The New York Times - Magazine

On the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam, only about one in four students in Grades 4, 8 or 12 scored at the proficient level in writing in 1998, the most recent such results available.

The New York Times

Coughing would induce a blindingly severe head pain in the right orbit and temporal area, graded 10/10, lasting about one minute, subsiding to 4/10 for up to two hours.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

About one minute was used for vascular grading per tumor.

BMC Cancer

Stomatitis affected about one third of patients, but it was grade 3 in 4% of them.

British Journal of Cancer

Subsequently, Reddy et al. [ 15] reported that about one in five learners (21.1%) of Grades 8 to 11 in public schools were classified as current smokers nationally while the South African Demographic Health Survey [ 16] reported 3.3 to 7.0% for females.

BMC Pediatrics

Students were equally distributed by gender and by grade (about one-third of the sample came from each of the three sampled grades).

Injury Epidemiology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "about one grade" in academic writing, provide specific data or context to support the approximation. For example, specify the subject or assessment being referenced.

Common error

Avoid using "about one grade" when the grading scales differ significantly (e.g., comparing percentage-based grades to letter grades). Ensure the scales are comparable for the statement to be meaningful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about one grade" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating an approximate quantity or degree. It modifies a noun or verb, describing the extent or level of something. As Ludwig AI says, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Science & Research

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "about one grade" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to indicate an approximate difference or improvement, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It is frequently found in the contexts of news, science and research. While relatively informal, it maintains a neutral register. For more formal contexts, alternatives such as "approximately one grade" may be preferred. When using the phrase, ensure the grading scales are comparable and provide specific data to support the approximation. The phrase conveys that a measured variable is around one grade, level or severity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately a grade

Replaces "about" with "approximately", emphasizing a more precise estimate.

roughly one grade level

Substitutes "about" with "roughly" and "grade" with "grade level", providing a more general educational context.

close to a grade

Emphasizes proximity to a specific grade without being exact.

nearly one grade

Indicates that the difference is just short of a full grade.

around one grade

Similar to "about", indicating an estimation or approximation.

in the vicinity of one grade

A more formal way to express approximation.

something like a grade

Suggests an informal approximation.

in the neighborhood of a grade

Similar to "in the vicinity of", but slightly less formal.

almost a full grade

Highlights the nearness to completing a full grade.

just about a grade

Emphasizes that it is barely a grade's worth.

FAQs

How can I use "about one grade" in a sentence?

You can use "about one grade" to indicate an approximate difference in academic performance or severity. For instance, "Private schools tend to perform "about one grade" better than state schools per subject" or "The treatment resulted in an improvement of "about one grade" in cataract severity".

What's a more formal alternative to "about one grade"?

A more formal alternative would be "approximately one grade". This maintains the meaning while sounding more precise and suitable for academic or professional contexts.

Is it appropriate to use "about one grade" in scientific writing?

Yes, it is appropriate, especially when precision isn't critical, but it's better to provide specific numerical data if available. When you can't provide the specific numbers, be consistent and don't replace "about one grade" with similar phrases in the same document.

What does "about one grade" mean in the context of medical improvements?

In a medical context, "about one grade" typically refers to an improvement or change in severity level of a condition based on a predefined grading scale. For example, a patient's condition might improve "about one grade" following a specific treatment, indicating a noticeable but not drastic betterment.