an extensive conversation

USAGE SUMMARY

"an extensive conversation" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a conversation that has covered a lot of topics or gone on for a long time. For example, "We had an extensive conversation about politics before running out of time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

The Jets' coach also said that he had an extensive conversation with the receiver.

The New York Times - Sports

The book contains an essay by Mohsen Mostafavi and an extensive conversation between Märkli and Marcel Meili.

Harvard University

And yet its most gripping moments involve an extensive conversation between a communist militia and the people of a Spanish town about the merits of collectivism.

The Guardian - Film

SANDERS: I don't know of any other meetings with Don Jr., but I also haven't had an extensive conversation with him.

The Washington Post

When we took a trip to a local Primary Health Center (PHC), we had an extensive conversation with the head doctor there.

Cornell University

Ten years ago, on an e-mail list dedicated to issues of linguistics, an extensive conversation got going over whether the word gay had morphed specifically into meaning "stupid".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

"I haven't had any extensive conversations with him".

The New York Times

The woman who, just as we finished an already extensive conversation about other issues, said, "How do you know if you're depressed?" It's time that patients realize that medical care is inherently unpredictable, that sometimes other people's concerns will trump theirs (it's called triage), but that when their time of need comes, they will be the most important person in the room.

The New York Times - Health

Rex Tillerson, the US secretary of state who accompanied the president, later confirmed that Trump and Francis had a "pretty extensive" conversation about terrorist threats and the radicalisation of young people.

The Guardian

Pelley spent about 10 seconds on it on Monday, before turning to a much more extensive conversation with Condoleezza Rice about Syria.

Huffington Post

Whether passing briefly on the street, sitting opposite one another on a commuter train, or engaging in extensive conversation in a business meeting, we are consistently in the position of forming impressions of other people based on limited amounts of information.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to convey the depth and breadth of a discussion, use "an extensive conversation" to signal that a wide range of topics were covered or that the discussion was particularly thorough.

Common error

While "an extensive conversation" is suitable for many situations, avoid overusing 'extensive' in highly formal writing. Alternatives like 'thorough' or 'comprehensive' may offer more nuance and precision depending on the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an extensive conversation" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the object of a verb (e.g., "had an extensive conversation") or the subject of a clause. Ludwig AI confirms that is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Academia

31%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Science

7%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an extensive conversation" is a commonly used and grammatically correct phrase to describe a thorough or wide-ranging discussion. As verified by Ludwig AI, this phrase appears most frequently in News & Media and Academic contexts. While suitable for general use, consider more formal alternatives like 'comprehensive' or 'thorough discussion' for highly formal settings. Remember to use "an extensive conversation" when you want to highlight the depth and breadth of topics discussed. The phrase conveys more than just the duration, also the range of covered topics.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a lengthy discussion

Replaces 'conversation' with 'discussion' and 'extensive' with 'lengthy', emphasizing the duration of the talk.

a detailed discussion

Replaces 'extensive' with 'detailed', highlighting the depth of information exchanged.

a prolonged dialogue

Uses 'dialogue' instead of 'conversation' and 'prolonged' for 'extensive', adding a formal tone and stressing the duration.

an in-depth exchange

Substitutes 'conversation' with 'exchange' and 'extensive' with 'in-depth', suggesting a thorough interaction.

a wide-ranging discussion

Replaces 'extensive' with 'wide-ranging', emphasizing the breadth of topics covered.

a comprehensive discussion

Uses 'comprehensive' instead of 'extensive', indicating a complete and thorough treatment of the subject.

a thorough discussion

Uses 'thorough' instead of 'extensive', underlining the completeness of the discussion.

a long talk

Replaces 'extensive conversation' with the simpler 'long talk', making it less formal.

a serious discussion

Replaces 'extensive' with 'serious', shifting the focus to the importance of the topic discussed.

a substantial exchange

Substitutes 'conversation' with 'exchange' and 'extensive' with 'substantial', underscoring the importance of the interaction.

FAQs

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

You can use "an extensive conversation" to describe a discussion that covered many topics or lasted for a considerable amount of time. For example: "We had "an extensive conversation" about the company's future plans."

What are some synonyms for "an extensive conversation"?

Alternatives to "an extensive conversation" include "a lengthy discussion", "a detailed discussion", or "an in-depth exchange".

Is it better to say "an extensive conversation" or "a long conversation"?

While both are correct, "an extensive conversation" implies a broader range of topics or a more thorough exploration of a subject, while "a long conversation" simply emphasizes the duration.

When is it appropriate to use "an extensive conversation" in writing?

It's appropriate in various contexts, from news reports to academic papers, when you want to highlight the comprehensiveness or depth of a discussion. In formal writing, consider alternatives like "a comprehensive discussion" for added precision.