commonplace situations

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "commonplace situations" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to ordinary or typical circumstances that are frequently encountered in daily life. Example: "In commonplace situations, people often react in predictable ways, demonstrating their learned behaviors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The films' style was a documentary-like objectivity; actors either were or looked like ordinary people involved in commonplace situations.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It creates a parallel to instinctive childhood impulses to invent rules and make games from the most commonplace situations.

The New York Times

It may have resulted from any of a number of commonplace situations — using another insecticide, using a cleaning fluid that contained carbon tetrachloride, or taking one of the so-called tranquillizing drugs, a number (but not all) of which are chlorinated hydrocarbons and possess power to interfere with liver function.

The New Yorker

On the contrary, it can correctly explain commonplace situations in everyday life, as pointed out earlier.

International Journal of STEM Education

In other words, commonplace situations -- like being offered wine at a dinner party -- can literally cause the recovering addict's brain to work against his effort to maintain sobriety.

Huffington Post

In reality, gun violence tends to be provoked by commonplace situations faced by people who do not stand out as particularly remarkable in terms of their mental well-being, he added.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

It has become a commonplace situation: a corporation threatens to move its headquarters out of New York City.

The New York Times

"It's a kind of commonplace situation that most people have become familiar with".

The New York Times - Sports

It is a classic but commonplace situation in sports where, with the addition of regional networks like YES and national ones like the NFL Network and the Big Ten Network, fans are victimized by battles between networks and cable systems.

The New York Times - Sports

diSessa (1983) explains that 'the most commonplace situation involving forces, pushing on objects from rest, becomes abstracted as the highest priority p-prim that one will use to predict motion in general circumstances' (diSessa 1983, p 30). diSessa also pointed out that even experts likely use this p-prim to explain situations such as this one.

International Journal of STEM Education

"Although sperm procurement and preservation has been become commonplace in situations in which infertility can be easily foreseen, peri- or postmortem sperm procurement for reproductive use in unexpected coma or death is not generally accepted," the authors wrote.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "commonplace situations" to describe scenarios that are frequently encountered and generally unremarkable. For added clarity, specify the field where these situations occur (e.g. "commonplace situations in the workplace").

Common error

While "commonplace situations" is acceptable in many contexts, avoid overusing it in highly formal or academic writing where more precise or sophisticated language might be preferred. Consider alternatives like "established norms" or "prevalent conditions" to maintain a more scholarly tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "commonplace situations" functions as a noun phrase that describes ordinary or typical occurrences. As supported by Ludwig, it serves to categorize events or conditions that are frequently encountered.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

43%

Encyclopedias

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "commonplace situations" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe ordinary and unremarkable events or circumstances. As Ludwig confirms, it is generally employed across various contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedias. While versatile, it's important to consider the level of formality required by the specific writing context; in certain formal settings, more precise terminology might be preferable. Related phrases such as "ordinary situations" or "everyday situations" offer suitable alternatives, depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ordinary situations

Replaces "commonplace" with "ordinary", suggesting a lack of special or distinctive qualities.

everyday situations

Emphasizes the routine and habitual nature of the situations.

typical scenarios

Uses "scenarios" instead of "situations", highlighting the hypothetical or predictable aspect.

familiar circumstances

Focuses on the known and recognizable aspects of the situations.

routine occurrences

Shifts the focus to the events themselves, emphasizing their regular and expected nature.

mundane events

Highlights the ordinariness and lack of excitement in the events.

banal circumstances

Implies a lack of originality or interest in the circumstances.

standard situations

Replaces "commonplace" with "standard", focusing on situations conforming to a norm.

prevalent conditions

Emphasizes the widespread existence of the conditions.

frequent cases

Highlights the repetitiveness and high incidence of the cases.

FAQs

What does "commonplace situations" mean?

The phrase "commonplace situations" refers to ordinary, typical, or frequently occurring events or circumstances in everyday life.

What can I say instead of "commonplace situations"?

You can use alternatives like "ordinary situations", "everyday situations", or "typical scenarios" depending on the context.

Is "commonplace situations" formal or informal?

"Commonplace situations" is generally considered neutral in tone, suitable for both informal and moderately formal contexts. However, in highly formal writing, more precise terms may be preferred.

How can I use "commonplace situations" in a sentence?

You can use "commonplace situations" to describe events or circumstances that are widely encountered. For example, "Stress is a common factor in many "current situations"."