an entire

USAGE SUMMARY

"an entire" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You would typically use it when referring to a complete thing or set of things, for example, "He read an entire book in only one day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But an entire bear?

The New York Times

"It's an entire mind-set".

The New York Times

I missed an entire semester.

The New York Times

It's an entire cultural system".

The New Yorker

It's become an entire franchise.

The New York Times

It's an entire fried meal.

The New York Times - Food

So would an entire region.

The New York Times

It is an entire demographic.

The New York Times

It's an entire industry.

The Guardian

Or an entire grade?

The Washington Post

Its demise devastated an entire region.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an entire" to emphasize the completeness or unbroken nature of something. For example, "He ate an entire pizza by himself" highlights the large quantity consumed.

Common error

Avoid using "an entire" with uncountable nouns. Instead of "an entire water", use "an entire bottle of water" or "all the water".

Linguistic Context

"An entire" functions as a determiner phrase, specifically an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It indicates that the noun is complete, whole, or unbroken. Ludwig provides many examples where "an entire" modifies nouns such as "bear", "semester", "region", "continent", and "life".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Wiki

28%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an entire" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to emphasize the completeness or wholeness of a noun. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, showcasing numerous examples across various contexts. While versatile, remember to use it with countable nouns and consider alternatives like "a complete" or "a whole" for nuanced expression. Its common usage across News & Media and Wiki sources suggests a neutral register, making it suitable for diverse writing scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a complete

Focuses on the completeness of something, similar to "an entire" but uses 'complete' instead of 'entire'.

the complete

Similar to 'a complete' but with a definite article, specifying a particular instance of completeness.

a whole

Emphasizes the unbroken or undivided nature of something, slightly different nuance than "an entire".

the whole

Uses a definite article to refer to all of something, similar to "an entire" but more specific.

all of

A simple and direct way to indicate that everything is included.

a full

Highlights the filled or maximized state of something, suggesting completeness in terms of capacity.

every single

Emphasizes that each individual item within a set is included, conveying totality.

the totality of

More formal and emphasizes the inclusion of everything, conveying the entire scope of the subject.

in its entirety

A more formal and emphatic way of saying "an entire", stressing the unbroken and complete state.

the sum total of

Emphasizes that all elements are added together to form a complete amount or collection.

FAQs

How do I use "an entire" correctly in a sentence?

Use "an entire" before singular countable nouns to emphasize completeness or wholeness. For instance, "She spent "an entire week" on the project" indicates a full week dedicated to it.

What are some alternatives to using the phrase "an entire"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "a complete", "a whole", or "all of" to convey a similar meaning. For example, instead of "an entire pizza", you could say "a whole pizza".

Is it grammatically correct to say "a entire" instead of "an entire"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. The correct phrasing is "an entire" because "entire" begins with a vowel sound. The article "an" is used before vowel sounds, while "a" is used before consonant sounds.

What's the difference between "an entire" and "the entire"?

"An entire" refers to any single instance of something complete, while "the entire" refers to a specific complete thing. For example, "an entire day" refers to any complete day, whereas "the entire day" refers to a specific day that has passed or is being discussed.