as a generality

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a generality" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when making a broad statement or observation that applies to a majority of cases, rather than specific instances. Example: "As a generality, people tend to prefer sunny weather over rainy days."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Few policymakers have a beef with that characterization as a generality.

The New York Times

Besides, she says, African history is too complex to be embraced as a generality.

The New York Times - Books

As a generality, plants are of medium height, with abundant straight prickles (both slender and thick-based) and multiple flowers with glabrous hips and pedicels.

University of California, Berkeley

If every sloppy lie (ie: "Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower … This is McCarthyism!") can be explained away as a "generality" or "just a joke" because of "quotes", then he can literally say anything with impunity.

The Guardian - Opinion

As a generality, I don't think so.

Forbes

But we cannot consider their model as a generality for all CR use cases, so that other solutions have to be considered additionally.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

"I watched it go, and thought of all the free-as-a-bird generalities I had taken for granted.

The New Yorker

It is shown that the neural net trained with data from the work described in this paper could predict data of other authors as well, a generality which is not inherent in any of the mass transfer correlations proposed for mass transfer in two-phase systems to date.

Chemical Engineering Science

This is a generality as clearly a high mass compound can have a simple spectrum: consider the buckminsterfullerene, C60, that has a single peak in the 13C NMR spectrum but the structural interpretation of the peak was not a simple problem.

Journal of Cheminformatics

VI) Mill agreed, "it is a misapprehension of the utilitarian mode of thought to conceive it as implying that people should fix their minds upon so wide a generality as the world, or society at large".

SEP

Albers: As a broad generality, yes, I respect my models, and a great deal of the time I do what they suggest.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as a generality" when you want to introduce a statement that is true in most cases but may have exceptions. Be prepared to provide clarifying details or acknowledge potential limitations if necessary.

Common error

Avoid presenting statements introduced by "as a generality" as absolute truths. Always acknowledge that exceptions may exist to maintain credibility and avoid misleading your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a generality" functions as a discourse marker or adverbial phrase. It serves to introduce a statement that is generally true but not universally applicable. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0.033%

Wiki

0.033%

Formal & Business

0.033%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "as a generality" is a grammatically correct phrase used to introduce statements that are generally true but not universally applicable. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is usable in written English. Its usage is relatively uncommon, but it appears in a variety of contexts, including news, science, and academic writing. Related phrases include "generally speaking" and "in general". When using "as a generality", avoid presenting the statement as an absolute truth and be prepared to acknowledge potential exceptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as a general rule

This alternative is a slightly more formal variant of "as a rule".

generally speaking

This alternative is a more common and slightly less formal way to express the same concept.

in general

This alternative is the most direct and common way to express a broad statement.

by and large

This alternative suggests that the statement is true despite some minor exceptions.

on the whole

This alternative is similar to "by and large" but focuses on the overall picture.

broadly speaking

This alternative emphasizes that the statement is a simplification and may not be entirely accurate in every detail.

as a rule

This alternative emphasizes that the statement is typically true but not always.

for the most part

This alternative highlights that the statement is generally true but with some exceptions.

in most cases

This alternative specifies that the statement applies to the majority of instances.

typically

This alternative is a single-word adverb that conveys the same meaning in a more concise way.

FAQs

How can I use "as a generality" in a sentence?

Begin your sentence with the phrase "as a generality", then follow it with your general statement. For example: "As a generality, people prefer warmer climates."

What are some alternatives to saying "as a generality"?

You can use phrases like "generally speaking", "in general", or "for the most part" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "in generality" instead of "as a generality"?

While "in generality" might seem similar, "as a generality" is the more idiomatic and commonly accepted way to express a general statement.

When is it appropriate to use "as a generality" in writing?

Use "as a generality" when you want to introduce a statement that is broadly true, but not necessarily true in every single instance. It's suitable for academic papers, news articles, and general discussions where you need to make overarching points.