mental effort is

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mental effort is" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the concept of cognitive work or the exertion of mental energy in various contexts, such as psychology, education, or productivity. Example: "Mental effort is crucial for problem-solving and critical thinking in academic settings."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

When recreational skiers hit the slopes, so much mental effort is centered on the skis and the knees, the hands often fly all over the place.

The New York Times - Sports

We hypothesize that mental effort is low at low and high stress levels but high at a medium stress level.

Computer-Aided Design

His central idea is that reason cuts through to the principles themselves, even if moral and mental effort is required to get clarity about those principles.

SEP

The statistical analysis shows that mental effort is the lowest at high stress level and there is no significant difference in mental effort between medium stress level and low stress level.

Computer-Aided Design

Thus, the combination of mental effort and performance can determine the efficiency of learning, where high efficiency is associated with high performance and low mental effort, while low performance alongside high mental effort is considered to be of low efficiency.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

No mental effort is required toward intentionally altering physiological processes (e.g., respiration rate, muscle relaxation, etc).

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

They pointed out the error in assuming that incentives to mental effort are the same for adults and children.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Apparently, their poorer exercise results after mental effort were caused not by reduced performance of their bodies, but by exhaustion of their minds.

The New York Times - Health

Mental stress was quantified by LF/HF ratio and mental effort was quantified by EEG energy.

Computer-Aided Design

In contrast to what was expected, mental effort was higher for face-to-face teams than for video-mediated teams.

International Journal of Human-Computer Studies

The mean and standard deviation of learner's self perception of "how much mental effort was invested while learning from SIM and SIM-RDL?" was found to be SIM (M = 3.92, SD = 1.16) and SIM-RDL (M = 4.20, SD = 1.75).

Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing cognitive processes, use "mental effort is" to emphasize the exertion of mental energy, particularly when contrasting it with physical effort or automated processes. For example, "While physical labor might seem tiring, the "mental effort is" often underestimated".

Common error

Avoid using "mental effort is" interchangeably with "mental ability". Effort refers to the energy exerted, while ability refers to one's capacity. For instance, instead of saying "High "mental effort is" a substitute for ability", clarify that effort can compensate for, but not replace, inherent ability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mental effort is" primarily functions as a subject complement, linking the subject (mental effort) to a description or state. As Ludwig AI explains, it frames mental effort as a definable entity, which aligns with examples such as "mental effort is related to increased arousal".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "mental effort is" is grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly in scientific and academic contexts, to describe and characterize cognitive exertion. As highlighted by Ludwig, its function is to define mental effort within a specific context, relating it to various factors like stress, learning, and arousal. While direct and clear, it's important to differentiate "mental effort" from "mental ability" to avoid ambiguity. Consider alternatives such as "cognitive load is" or "intellectual exertion is" depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cognitive load is

Replaces "mental effort" with "cognitive load", focusing on the cognitive resources required.

intellectual exertion is

Substitutes "effort" with "exertion", emphasizing the active application of intellect.

cognitive demand is

Focuses on the demand placed on cognitive resources.

thinking hard involves

Uses a verb-based structure to describe the process of engaging in demanding thought.

brainpower is applied

Replaces "mental effort" with "brainpower", highlighting the cognitive capacity being utilized.

reasoning demands

Highlights the demands associated with logical thinking.

it takes mental energy to

Highlights the mental energy expenditure in achieving something.

problem-solving necessitates

Focuses on problem-solving as an activity that requires cognitive resources.

concentration is required

Emphasizes the need for focused attention.

focus is needed

Simplifies the expression to emphasize the requirement for concentration.

FAQs

How can I use "mental effort is" in a sentence?

You can use "mental effort is" to emphasize the cognitive exertion required for a task. For example, "Sustained "mental effort is" essential for mastering new skills".

What phrases are similar to "mental effort is"?

Similar phrases include "cognitive load is", "intellectual exertion is", or "cognitive demand is".

Is it better to say "mental effort is high" or "there is high mental effort"?

Both are grammatically correct, but "mental effort is high" is generally more direct and concise. "There is high mental effort" can sound slightly more verbose.

In what contexts is "mental effort is" most appropriate?

"Mental effort is" is suitable for discussing cognitive processes in fields like psychology, education, and human-computer interaction. It's less common in informal conversation.