an assortment of things

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an assortment of things" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a variety of items or objects that are grouped together without specifying what they are. Example: "The store offers an assortment of things, from clothing to home decor, catering to diverse tastes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Four of them are known to control the development of cells, for example, and three do an assortment of things inside neurons.

The New York Times - Science

He read an assortment of things to the studio audience, finding much humor in the letters to the editor of The Daily News.

The New York Times - Arts

Hill confesses to hoarding an assortment of things for her son inside hers, but "it's important that a bag becomes part of you, and not the other way around".

The New York Times

How is the money divided? A. About 10percentt is in manufacturing; between 40percentand50percentcent is in various types of services, from funeral homes to telephones; and the balance is in an assortment of things, from financial companies to Internet companies.

The New York Times

They went to an Asian market and bought an assortment of things they wanted to eat.

Johns Hopkins University

On the other hand, when you have an organization, you have conflict, you have communication problems, you have an assortment of things of that sort that makes it probably harder to be perfectly rational.

Journal of Organization Design

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

This makes an intuitive sort of sense -- dinosaurs, after all, were probably covered in an assortment of these things.

HuffPost

It featured a man dementedly saying he could use Weedol and kill plants while doing an assortment of other things.

Vice

"The whole reason he was charged was because he was sitting around the campfire with friends taking mushrooms and, amidst some sort of schizophrenic break, he confessed to this shooting, to being responsible for [the terrorist attacks of] 9/11 and an assortment of other things," Turnbaugh's former attorney, Kurt Hughes, told HuffPost.

Huffington Post

They filled the back of the station wagon with a random assortment of things, including a first edition of "Out of Africa," and their little dog, Charlie.

The New Yorker

"She had a jumbled assortment of things in her yard, including a sand pile with a real cook stove in it where my cousins and I would make mud pies.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an assortment of things" when you want to convey variety without specifying details. It's suitable for general descriptions where listing specifics isn't necessary or desirable.

Common error

Avoid relying on "an assortment of things" when specific details would provide more clarity and impact. If possible, replace it with a more descriptive list or category.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an assortment of things" functions as a noun phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it generally serves to denote a collection of unspecified items. This phrase is versatile, allowing speakers and writers to refer to a variety of objects or concepts without needing to list them individually.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

10%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an assortment of things" is a noun phrase used to denote a collection of unspecified items, serving the purpose of indicating variety without needing to be specific. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and sees usage across various sources, most commonly in News & Media. While not exceedingly frequent, it is appropriate for general descriptions where listing specific items is unnecessary. When using this phrase, it is best practice to ensure that the lack of specificity is intentional and doesn't detract from clarity. Alternatives such as "a variety of items" or "a diverse collection of objects" may be more appropriate depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a variety of items

Focuses on the diverse nature of the collection, emphasizing differences among the items.

a diverse collection of objects

Highlights the heterogeneity of the objects, suitable when referring to physical items.

a selection of items

Highlights the act of choosing particular items from a larger group.

a miscellany of things

Suggests a collection of diverse and unrelated items.

a mixed bag of stuff

Suggests a somewhat random or unplanned collection, often with varying quality or relevance.

a collection of sundries

Refers to small, inexpensive items often sold together.

an eclectic array of elements

Implies a carefully chosen collection from diverse sources, often with a unique or artistic quality.

a hodgepodge of elements

Describes a disorganized or haphazard mixture of different things.

an assortment of goods

Specifically refers to merchandise or products available for sale.

a range of considerations

Suitable when referring to abstract concepts or factors that need to be taken into account.

FAQs

How can I use "an assortment of things" in a sentence?

You can use "an assortment of things" to refer to a variety of items without being specific, for example: "The shop sells "an assortment of things", including books, toys, and clothes."

What are some alternatives to "an assortment of things"?

Some alternatives include "a variety of items", "a diverse collection of objects", or "a mixed bag of stuff", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to be specific instead of using "an assortment of things"?

It depends on the context. If specific details are important and relevant, it's better to list them. However, if you want to convey a general sense of variety without getting into specifics, "an assortment of things" is appropriate.

When is it appropriate to use "an assortment of things"?

It's appropriate when you want to indicate that there's a varied collection but the specific items are either not important, too numerous to list, or unknown.