basic essential

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "basic essential" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize something that is fundamental or necessary. Example: "Understanding the basic essential principles of physics is crucial for success in this course."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This is basic, essential, to our democracy, and to all that gives it legitimacy.

The New York Times

For them, LGBT equality is a basic essential for any employer.

The Guardian - Opinion

Behind the cashier is a wall of shelves with basic, essential medication: blood pressure tablets, pain killers, flu medicine.

The Guardian - Books

This is very basic, essential and highly commendable but parents desire their children to be given a fuller understanding of the faith...."....

The Economist

In her Merrill resignation letter, Ms. Craane wrote that she had been treated like a clerk and could no longer endure "painful struggles for the basic essential tools one must have when selling, including most importantly proper sales help".

The New York Times

New technologies should be adapted to fit broader needs: Current technologies such as SMS for life should be adapted to let frontline health workers track and report on all of the basic essential medicines that they need to keep stocked.

The Guardian

We were knuckleheads, and many of us were high, but even we could tell that long ago the place had lost its ability to perform that most basic, essential function of a cool rock club: booking cool rock bands.

The New York Times - Style

Harness the sun: Since Africa's off-grid population is growing, not shrinking, and average GDP is still well behind much of the rest of the world, the focus to achieve electrical access for all needs to be bringing of basic, essential services in the most efficient and mass-deployable method possible.

The Guardian

Four Essential Questions, One Per "Mini-Unit" Rationale and Overview In this unit, we're putting teenagers front and center by having them consider these basic essential questions — questions central to any election — through the lens of a hypothetical situation in which the voting age has been lowered to 13.

The New York Times

And where are we going as a society if we cannot provide those basic, essential services?" The report also questioned a new borrowing mechanism that allows the state, local governments and public institutions to reduce their pension contributions in the short term in exchange for higher payments, with interest, over the long term.

The New York Times

Thus, SJP-SNU possessed the basic essential traits for probiotics usage.

AMB Express

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "basic essential" is commonly used, consider whether using just one of the words, either "basic" or "essential", might be more concise and impactful. For example, instead of "basic essential tools", use "essential tools".

Common error

Avoid using "basic essential" when one word suffices. Overusing redundant phrases can weaken your writing. Instead, evaluate if "basic" or "essential" captures the intended meaning adequately on its own.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "basic essential" functions primarily as an adjective used to describe nouns. It emphasizes that the described noun is both fundamental and indispensable. Ludwig shows the use of this phrase to describe qualities, needs, services, and tools.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

18%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "basic essential" is used to underscore the fundamental and indispensable nature of something. As Ludwig AI has confirmed, it is grammatically correct and widely used, although somewhat redundant. While acceptable across various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business settings, writers should consider whether using just "essential" might be more concise. Remember to avoid overusing redundant phrases, as this can dilute the impact of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

basic requirement

This is almost identical, but it removes the redundancy by using only one of the terms.

fundamental necessity

Replaces "basic essential" with a more formal and emphatic expression.

core requirement

Focuses on the mandatory aspect, highlighting that something is indispensable.

essential foundation

Emphasizes the foundational aspect, suggesting that something is a base for further development.

key element

Highlights the importance of something as a crucial component.

indispensable aspect

Stresses that something is necessary and cannot be done without.

vital component

Emphasizes the importance of something in maintaining the function of a system.

critical need

Focuses on the urgency and importance of a requirement.

essential prerequisite

Highlights the aspect of condition which is necessary to be satisfied before other things can happen.

foundational principle

Focuses on the underlying truth that supports a line of reasoning, or behaviour.

FAQs

How can I use "basic essential" in a sentence?

You can use "basic essential" to describe something that is fundamental and necessary. For example, "Access to clean water is a "basic essential" need for survival."

Is "basic essential" redundant?

Yes, "basic" and "essential" have very similar meanings. Using one or the other is often sufficient, but the phrase "basic essential" is still commonly used for emphasis.

What are some alternatives to the phrase "basic essential"?

Alternatives include "fundamental necessity", "core requirement", or simply "essential" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "basic essential"?

Use "basic essential" when you want to strongly emphasize the fundamental and necessary nature of something. However, be mindful of potential redundancy and consider if "essential" alone would suffice.