isolated sentence

USAGE SUMMARY

'isolated sentence' is an acceptable and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is often used to refer to a sentence or phrase that stands alone, not connected to any other sentences or phrases. For example, "Life is beautiful" is an isolated sentence.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

But, Mr. Murray added, "anyone who would attribute this isolated sentence to his convictions, it's just unfair".

The New York Times

A tweet could offend copyright law if it reproduces even part of an isolated sentence from a copyright work.

The Guardian

That's not just an isolated sentence in the midst of dozens of charter pages; it's right up front, in the section called "Fundamental Principles of Olympism".

Huffington Post

Apart from the impact these different types of interactions have on one another, oftentimes a single isolated sentence will be too vague to deduce the type of interaction.

Bioinformatics

For example, displaying an isolated sentence without pointers to explore additional context information makes it hard for human interpretation and validation of text mining results and (iii) the third one is the aspect of output validation.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The view that scientific language could readily and easily be analyzed directly in terms of observables gradually gave way to more holistic views, such as Quine's (see, e.g. Quine 1951), in which it is claimed that it is only a body of scientific theories that can be compared to experience, and not isolated sentences.

SEP

Meaning units were isolated sentences or sections of the text that somehow addressed the research questions.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

We isolated those sentences appearing in the media from Oct. 1, 2011 through Nov. 1, 2012 in which the name of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney or Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama appeared.

Huffington Post

Let's isolate this sentence for a second: "We look forward to working with him on the fundamentals of the game".

The New York Times

I can't make sense of the words even as I read them out loud and try to isolate each sentence as a separate directive.

Vice

Secondly, except for Ang 洪惟仁 (2003, 2012), which used isolated phrases and sentences, in addition to words, and Wang 王薈雯 (2014), which used spontaneous monologue speech, most of the previous studies used syllable or word lists as the main elicitation text (Ang and Chang 洪惟仁, 張素蓉 2008; Chen 陳淑娟 1995; Chen 陳雅玲 2010, 2012; Hung 洪慧鈺 2007; Khng 康韶真 2014; Lin 林珠彩 1995; Thoo 涂文欽 2009).

Lingua Sinica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When analyzing a text, avoid drawing conclusions based solely on an "isolated sentence". Consider the surrounding context to gain a more complete understanding.

Common error

Don't build your argument on an "isolated sentence" without considering the author's intent in the full paragraph. This can lead to misrepresentation and weaken your analysis.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "isolated sentence" functions as a noun phrase, where 'isolated' modifies 'sentence'. Its primary grammatical function is to identify a sentence that is being considered apart from its surrounding text. Ludwig provides examples showing its use in academic and journalistic contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "isolated sentence" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a sentence considered apart from its context. While Ludwig confirms its acceptability and provides diverse examples, it's crucial to remember the potential for misinterpretation when analyzing sentences in isolation. Alternatives like "standalone sentence" may be used depending on the specific nuance. Therefore, while analyzing an individual sentence is a valuable skill, be sure to consider surrounding information before drawing firm conclusions. Ludwig showcases the phrase's frequent use in News & Media and Scientific contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

standalone sentence

Emphasizes the sentence's ability to be understood on its own.

single sentence

Highlights the sentence's numerical uniqueness.

out-of-context sentence

Focuses on the sentence being removed from its original setting.

decontextualized sentence

Similar to out-of-context, but with a more formal tone.

detached sentence

Suggests a lack of connection to other sentences.

discrete sentence

Implies the sentence is separate and distinct.

solitary sentence

Emphasizes the sentence's loneliness or separation.

fragmented sentence

Highlights that the sentence is part of something bigger but standing alone.

unconnected sentence

Focuses on the absence of a clear link to other sentences.

self-contained sentence

Highlights the completeness and independence of the sentence.

FAQs

What does "isolated sentence" mean?

An "isolated sentence" refers to a sentence that is considered separately from the surrounding text or context. It's often used to describe a sentence that's been taken out of context or analyzed on its own.

How can I avoid misinterpreting an "isolated sentence"?

To avoid misinterpretation, always consider the surrounding paragraphs, the author's intent, and the overall theme of the text. Context is crucial for accurate understanding.

What are some alternatives to "isolated sentence"?

You can use alternatives like "standalone sentence", "single sentence", or "out-of-context sentence", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it always wrong to analyze an "isolated sentence"?

Not necessarily. Analyzing an "isolated sentence" can be useful for examining its structure or grammar. However, it's important to acknowledge the limitations and consider the broader context for a complete analysis.