emphasizing understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "emphasizing understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the importance of comprehension in communication, education, or any context where clarity is essential. Example: "The teacher focused on emphasizing understanding rather than rote memorization in her lessons."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Some geologists point to a 1992 report by the National Research Council, the research arm of the National Academy of Sciences, that emphasizes understanding underlying natural conditions and the importance of monitoring.

The New York Times - Science

The program that Jolly and Young devised emphasizes understanding of Alzheimer's and teaches students that they have to take the lead in these interactions and keep in mind their main goal: to discover the person behind the disease.

The New Yorker

The new math program, Everyday Mathematics, would emphasize understanding concepts rather than mastery of basic operations, and a "balanced literacy" approach to reading and writing would focus more on children working among themselves than on direct instruction.

The New York Times

Environmental criminology emphasizes understanding the "opportunity structure" or "process" when addressing the crime incident, itself.

Crime Science

Recent work in cognitive neuroscience emphasizes understanding cognitive processes in terms of interactions between distributed cortical networks.

NeuroImage

Recently, Quality by Design (QbD) initiatives have been implemented that emphasize understanding the relationship between quality attributes of the product and their impact on safety and efficacy.

Journal of Chromatography A

(b) As Quentin Skinner has recently emphasized, understanding the linguistic meaning of an utterance or text is only a necessary, not a sufficient, condition for understanding it tout court — one needs, in addition, to establish the author's illocutionary intentions.

SEP

Modern risk assessment methodologies and regulations applied to large interconnected technological systems such as power grids emphasize understanding response to external conditions, and the measurement of the inputs (NERC 2013).

Earth, Planets and Space

It is based on investigating question answer pairs and emphasizes understanding and knowledge acquisition achieved via insight and learning but which is impeded by confusion brought on by in-appropriateness, incoherence, anacolutha and non-sequiturs.

Journal of Visual Languages & Computing

We've emphasized understanding the T-cell response to TB infection and how the bacterium inhibits or misdirects  it.

Huffington Post

In her class, she emphasizes understanding the perspectives of people who want certain books banned -- we should work to "expose, investigate, and interrogate the actions people take because of fear".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about complex subjects, use "emphasizing understanding" to signal that your primary goal is clarity, not just information delivery.

Common error

Avoid constructions like "Understanding is being emphasized," which can sound weaker than actively "emphasizing understanding". Use active voice for a more direct and impactful statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "emphasizing understanding" functions as a gerund phrase. It typically acts as a noun, often serving as the subject, object, or complement in a sentence. As Ludwig AI confirms, this expression is grammatically sound and signifies the action of highlighting the importance of comprehension.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "emphasizing understanding" is a grammatically correct gerund phrase used to highlight the importance of comprehension over other considerations like memorization or rote learning. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While relatively rare, it appears across diverse contexts, from science to news media, maintaining a neutral to formal tone. When using the phrase, prioritize active voice and consider stronger synonyms like "stressing comprehension" for greater impact. Remember, the goal is clarity and depth, ensuring your message resonates with genuine understanding.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

stressing comprehension

Replaces "understanding" with its synonym "comprehension" while keeping the core meaning.

highlighting the importance of understanding

Shifts the focus to "highlighting" the significance, adding emphasis.

underscoring understanding

Uses a more formal synonym for emphasizing, "underscoring", to denote importance.

placing emphasis on understanding

Rephrases the verb and object to alter the sentence structure, maintaining similar meaning.

focusing on the need for understanding

Changes from a gerund phrase to a focus on a 'need', broadening the context slightly.

giving prominence to understanding

Replaces "emphasizing" with a phrase indicating prominence, shifting the tone.

making understanding a priority

Alters the construction to define understanding as a 'priority'.

prioritizing understanding

Uses the gerund form of prioritize for greater brevity.

recognizing the value of understanding

Emphasizes recognition of value rather than active emphasis.

promoting understanding

Suggests an active effort to 'promote' rather than simply emphasize.

FAQs

How can I use "emphasizing understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "emphasizing understanding" to highlight the importance of comprehension in a particular context. For example, "The course is structured around "emphasizing understanding" of core principles rather than rote memorization."

What are some alternatives to "emphasizing understanding"?

Alternatives include "stressing comprehension", "highlighting the importance of understanding", or "underscoring understanding" depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it better to say "emphasize understanding" or "emphasizing understanding"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they function differently. "Emphasize understanding" is a command or instruction (imperative mood), while ""emphasizing understanding"" acts as a gerund phrase, often functioning as a noun or part of a larger phrase. The best choice depends on the sentence structure.

What is the difference between ""emphasizing understanding"" and "ensuring understanding"?

"Emphasizing understanding" suggests a focus on making comprehension a priority, while "ensuring understanding" implies taking steps to guarantee that comprehension occurs. The former is about highlighting importance, the latter is about guaranteeing a result.