an extensive area

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an extensive area" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a large or wide-ranging space or region, often in contexts related to geography, land use, or research. Example: "The national park covers an extensive area, providing habitat for diverse wildlife."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Termed hilly and lineated terrain, it is an extensive area of elevations and depressions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Shrewsbury became a market for an extensive area, including much of northern Wales.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The town was once a major trade centre and dominated an extensive area of irrigated agriculture.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The town serves an extensive area of the Sussex Weald as an agricultural market and shopping centre and has light engineering and a few other industries.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Most of the eastern half of the county is scenic, and an extensive area west and south of Cinderford forms the Dean National Forest Park.

Encyclopedia Britannica

There are around 12,000 titles in stock, plus an extensive area devoted to art and crafts materials, spread across a large ground floor that covers over 3,000 sq ft and was beautifully refurbished in 2005.

The Guardian - Books

It was caused by the combination of a seasonal high tide, a storm, and an extensive area of low pressure over the North Sea that sucked seawaters to higher levels than normal.

The Guardian

As Lizette Alvarez and Campbell Robertson report, hurricane forecasters said Isaac's winds and rain will hit an extensive area of southeast Mississippi, southwest Alabama and the western part of Florida's panhandle by Monday evening.

The New York Times

Queenston Delta, Late Ordovician wedge of sediments that spread across an extensive area of northeastern North America and was thickest in New York and Quebec (the Late Ordovician Period occurred from 461 million to 444 million years ago).

Encyclopedia Britannica

In northern and eastern Mesopotamia, main streams were soon partly diverted during moderate river floods into canals running more or less parallel to the rivers, which could thus be used to irrigate an extensive area.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Soils in this group cover an extensive area of North America and generally are found in the drier or colder regions of the continent, where trees are not common.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing geographical locations or land coverage, use "an extensive area" to clearly convey the large size of the region. For example, "The wildfire consumed an extensive area of the national forest."

Common error

Avoid using "an extensive area" to describe non-spatial or abstract concepts. For example, it's more appropriate to say "an extensive amount of research" rather than "an extensive area of research".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an extensive area" functions primarily as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or the complement of a preposition. It describes a significant physical space or region, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples of its use in describing terrain, agricultural land, and forest coverage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

43%

Encyclopedias

17%

News & Media

14%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an extensive area" is a versatile noun phrase used to describe a considerably large physical space or region. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and widely accepted. Its usage spans across diverse fields, including science, encyclopedias, and news media, indicating its broad applicability and neutral register. When using this phrase, it's important to ensure the context involves a physical space, avoiding misuse with abstract nouns. Alternatives such as ""a large expanse"" or ""a vast region"" can offer nuanced variations in meaning, adding precision to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a large expanse

Replaces 'extensive' with 'large' and 'area' with 'expanse', emphasizing the size of the space.

a vast region

Substitutes 'extensive' with 'vast' and 'area' with 'region', highlighting the immensity and geographical aspect.

a wide territory

Changes 'extensive' to 'wide' and 'area' to 'territory', focusing on the breadth and territorial aspect of the space.

a broad scope

Replaces 'area' with 'scope', shifting the meaning to a more abstract or conceptual context rather than a physical one.

a considerable stretch

Emphasizes the length or duration of the area using 'considerable stretch'.

a sizable zone

Uses 'sizable' to convey the magnitude and 'zone' to denote a specific region.

a sprawling domain

Highlights the uncontrolled expansion using 'sprawling' and the ownership or control using 'domain'.

a substantial tract

Uses 'substantial' to indicate a significant amount and 'tract' to refer to a piece of land.

a widespread locale

Focuses on the dispersion or distribution using 'widespread' and the specific place using 'locale'.

a sweeping vista

Shifts the context to a scenic view or perspective using 'sweeping vista'.

FAQs

How can I use "an extensive area" in a sentence?

You can use "an extensive area" to describe a large physical space, such as "The farm covers "an extensive area" of farmland" or "The park encompasses "an extensive area" of natural woodland".

What are some alternatives to saying "an extensive area"?

Alternatives include "a large expanse", "a vast region", or "a wide territory", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "an intense area" instead of "an extensive area"?

While "intense" and "extensive" sound similar, they have different meanings. "Intense" refers to a high degree of something, while "extensive" refers to a large area or scope. Therefore, using "an intense area" might not accurately convey your intended meaning.

When is it appropriate to use "an extensive area" versus "a large area"?

"An extensive area" implies a broader or more comprehensive scope compared to "a large area". While both describe size, "extensive" often suggests greater detail or coverage. You might choose ""an extensive area"" when emphasizing the comprehensiveness of the space.