most promising student

USAGE SUMMARY

"most promising student" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe a student who is expected to excel or achieve great things due to their strong performance or potential. For example, "Sue is one of our most promising students and we expect her to receive top marks in her upcoming exams."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The film, released in 2001, stars Isabelle Huppert as Erika Kohut, an aging, severely repressed classical pianist who begins a disastrous, sadomasochistic affair with her most promising student.

The New York Times

At Harvard College, she studied American literature and poetry, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and earning the Harvard Monthly Prize, an award given to the most promising student writer.

Harvard University

Or the Spearfish gymnastics club coach who said he lost the most promising student he had seen in town because kids at school called the fourth-grader "a sissy".

The New York Times - Sports

When he got back upstate, he arranged to rent the main house to Karen Friedman, a resident in neurology who'd been his most promising student two years — no, three years — earlier, and her partner, as the expression went, a dumpy older woman named Gloria, who managed the Staples store at the mall out on the bypass.

The New Yorker

The cultural-affairs teacher (Sharon Washington) is sharing a troubling discovery with Amy (Marin Hinkle) about Luce (Okieriete Onaodowan), a Congolese orphan and refugee whom Amy adopted at age seven, who is also the school's most promising student and a star athlete.

The New Yorker

As for why it's supporting Cornell Tech specifically, Stursberg said the program "supports the most promising student companies, allowing these startups to stay and grow their businesses in New York City".

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Top professors want the most promising students.

The New York Times

She worked hard but was not among their most promising students.

The New Yorker

He also gave private lessons to many of the region's most promising students.

The New York Times

Will the most promising students of the new era be as overburdened and regimented as before?

The New York Times - Magazine

One of his most promising students, Pietari Inkinen, 22, was busy one recent morning taking the musicians through Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "most promising student", consider specifying the area in which the student shows promise to provide a clearer and more impactful description. For example, "most promising student in physics".

Common error

Avoid labeling a student as the "most promising student" solely based on subjective impressions. Support the claim with concrete examples of their performance, skills, or aptitude.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "most promising student" functions as a noun phrase, where "most promising" acts as a superlative adjective modifying the noun "student". As Ludwig AI confirms, this structure adheres to standard grammatical conventions.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Academia

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "most promising student" serves to identify students with significant potential, frequently in academic and professional realms. Ludwig AI confirms that it adheres to proper English grammar, and as such, is deemed correct and usable. While the phrase itself is not highly frequent, its implications are powerful, as it carries connotations of future success and sets expectations for excellence. When using this phrase, remember to contextualize the promise to ensure the descriptor is both specific and impactful. Alternatives such as "top student" or "outstanding student" may better suit contexts that emphasize current performance over future potential.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

outstanding student

Emphasizes exceptional qualities and achievements of the student.

exceptional student

Highlights that the student is an exception.

top student

Focuses on current academic performance rather than future potential.

brightest student

Highlights intelligence and quick understanding.

high-achieving student

Highlights academic accomplishments and performance levels.

talented student

Focuses on natural aptitude in a specific area or skill.

most accomplished student

Emphasizes the student's existing achievements and skills.

gifted student

Implies innate talent and exceptional ability.

leading student

Highlights the student as being at the top, setting the pace.

up-and-coming student

Conveys a sense of rising talent and future success.

FAQs

How can I use "most promising student" in a sentence?

You can use "most promising student" to describe a student with exceptional potential, as in, "She is the "most promising student" in the art department this year."

What are some alternatives to "most promising student"?

Alternatives include "top student", "outstanding student", or "high-achieving student", depending on the specific aspect you want to emphasize.

Is it appropriate to use "most promising student" in formal writing?

Yes, "most promising student" is appropriate for formal writing, especially when providing recommendations or assessments, but ensure your assessment is supported by evidence.

What distinguishes a "most promising student" from a "good student"?

While a "good student" consistently performs well, a "most promising student" demonstrates exceptional potential and the capacity for significant future achievements beyond current performance.