it speaks to the distinction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it speaks to the distinction" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing how something highlights or emphasizes a particular difference or contrast. Example: "The research findings are significant because it speaks to the distinction between correlation and causation in scientific studies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"It speaks to the distinction that we all have in us between good and bad.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The distinction between gender (i.e., self-representation, socially derived activities and roles) and sex (i.e., biological differences by chromosomal complement, including reproductive organs and hormonal composition) (Krieger 2003) speaks to the distinction between exposure and susceptibility.

Environmental Health Perspectives

It spoke to the universality of music.

The New York Times

"It speaks to a distinction between rape where there must be some element of force in order to rise to the standard, and rape where there is not," Steph Sterling, director of government relations for the National Women's Law Center told the Washington Post at the time.

Huffington Post

The present study speaks to that specific distinction in so far as the activation found at time of retrieval in the temporal polar-perirhinal cortex can be considered as truly being within the perirhinal cortex.

Hippocampus

But leaving the breadth of his advantages aside, the comment speaks to an often unspoken distinction among families that can determine who gets ahead, who gets along and who merely scrapes by.

The New York Times

Notre Dame is the only B.C.S. program to churn through that many coaches in the past decade, a distinction that speaks to its hiring decisions as much as to the job itself.

The New York Times - Sports

However, we must emphasize that our data do not speak to previously reported distinctions between recognition and recall (Adlam et al., 2009) as some of our tests of verbal and visual memory combined scores across both processes.

Brain

It did not speak to agents who were not lawyers, a distinction that now begs clarification.

The New York Times - Sports

It speaks volumes on any supposed distinctions between left and right when it comes to disability issues".

Vice

Governor Eliot Spitzer, who has known Rubenstein since he was a young man — when Rubenstein represented the real-estate business of his father, Bernard Spitzer — speaks of "the distinction between a lawyer who's a lawyer and a lawyer who's a counsellor.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it speaks to the distinction" when you want to highlight that something is indicative of a specific difference or contrast. It is more impactful when the distinction isn't immediately obvious.

Common error

Avoid using "it speaks to the distinction" when a simpler phrase like "it shows the difference" would suffice. Overusing it in straightforward comparisons can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it speaks to the distinction" functions as a discourse marker, introducing an observation that highlights a specific difference. As Ludwig AI tells us, this phrase is grammatically correct and often used to draw attention to a notable differentiation. Examples from Ludwig showcase its application in academic and news contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

35%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it speaks to the distinction" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that emphasizes a particular difference or contrast. While not exceedingly frequent, as Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is appropriate in various contexts, particularly news, science, and encyclopedia entries. It functions as a discourse marker, drawing attention to subtle yet crucial aspects. To avoid overuse, consider simpler alternatives like "it highlights the contrast" or "it underscores the difference" in less complex comparisons.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it highlights the contrast

Changes the verb and noun to emphasize the contrasting aspect.

it underscores the difference

Replaces 'speaks to' with 'underscores' for a more emphatic tone.

it reveals the contrast

Emphasizes 'revealing' the contrast, suggesting a disclosure of a difference.

it emphasizes the differentiation

Uses 'emphasizes' and 'differentiation' to directly highlight the act of distinguishing.

it draws attention to the divide

Focuses on 'drawing attention' to the separation rather than directly addressing a 'distinction'.

it points out the disparity

Highlights the 'disparity', suggesting an inequality or difference in quality or kind.

it reflects the variation

Focuses on 'variation' to reflect a difference within a set of possibilities.

it demonstrates the divergence

Replaces the concept of 'distinction' with 'divergence', implying a branching out or deviation.

it illustrates the separation

Uses 'illustrates' to show the act of becoming or being separate.

it signifies the division

Implies that it indicates a separated part.

FAQs

How can I use "it speaks to the distinction" in a sentence?

You can use "it speaks to the distinction" to indicate that something highlights or emphasizes a particular difference. For example, "The data speaks to the distinction between correlation and causation."

What are some alternatives to "it speaks to the distinction"?

Some alternatives include "it highlights the contrast", "it underscores the difference", or "it emphasizes the differentiation", depending on the context.

Is "it speaks to the distinction" formal or informal?

"It speaks to the distinction" is generally considered to be neutral in tone, suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although it is most commonly found in professional and academic writing.

What does "it speaks to the distinction" actually mean?

The phrase "it speaks to the distinction" means that something reveals, highlights, or emphasizes a specific difference or contrast between two or more things. It suggests that the subject in question provides insight into or underscores this particular distinction.