of the most common

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "of the most common" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to something that is among the most frequently encountered or widely recognized in a particular context. Example: "This is one of the most common mistakes made by new writers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

One of the most common homophone lapses.

The New York Times

Here are five of the most common.

The Guardian

(I opted for SPD, one of the most common systems.

The Guardian

One of the most common responses was the turnpike.

The New York Times

One of the most common scams is actually legal.

The New York Times - Travel

One of the most common is the Liberty Cap.

The New York Times - Books

One of the most common is the sublet fee.

The New York Times

That is one of the most common laments in agriculture.

The New York Times

One of the most common rackets was illegal subcontracting.

The New Yorker

This post answers some of the most common inquiries.

Stanford University

One is sort of the most common perhaps.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "of the most common", ensure the context is clear and that it is followed by a noun or noun phrase specifying what is common. For instance, "of the most common mistakes" or "of the most common species".

Common error

Avoid using "of the most common" without proper qualification or context. Stating something is "of the most common" without specifying what it is common among can lead to ambiguity and weaken the statement's impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "of the most common" typically functions as a qualifier, introducing examples, characteristics, or members that are highly frequent or prevalent within a specified category. This can be gleaned from Ludwig's examples, where it introduces "mistakes", "responses", or "scams".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

33%

Science

13%

Less common in

HuffPost

3%

Britannica

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "of the most common" serves as a versatile qualifier, effectively highlighting the frequency or typicality of an element within a specific group. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and widely used, particularly in news, academic, and scientific contexts. The phrase maintains a neutral tone, rendering it suitable for diverse audiences, but it's important to provide clear context and avoid overgeneralization for maximum impact. Alternatives like "among the most frequent" or "a prevalent example of" can provide nuanced emphasis, as needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

among the most frequent

Replaces "common" with "frequent", emphasizing the rate of occurrence. It's more suitable for statistical or quantifiable contexts.

one of the most typical

Substitutes "common" with "typical", highlighting representativeness rather than frequency.

a prevalent example of

Shifts the focus to the widespread existence of something, using a noun phrase structure.

a widespread instance of

Similar to 'prevalent example', this phrase emphasizes the extensive occurrence of something, using a slightly more formal tone.

commonly encountered

Highlights the frequency with which something is met or experienced.

widely recognized

Focuses on the broad acknowledgement or awareness of something, rather than its mere existence.

predominantly found

Indicates that something is found more often than other things, suggesting a comparative abundance.

ubiquitous in

Suggests something is present everywhere or is very common.

most often seen

Emphasizes visual observation and frequency.

in most cases

Indicates something happens in the majority of instances, changing from focusing on prevalence to focusing on frequency of specific events.

FAQs

How can I use "of the most common" in a sentence?

The phrase "of the most common" is typically used to introduce examples or specifications of a more general category. For example, "This is one "of the most common errors" in grammar".

What are some alternatives to "of the most common"?

Alternatives include phrases like "among the most frequent", "a prevalent example of", or simply "commonly encountered", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "of the most common" or should I use "among the most common"?

Both "of the most common" and "among the most common" are grammatically correct and generally interchangeable, although "among the most common" may sound slightly more formal in certain contexts. They both indicate that something is part of a group that is frequently encountered.

What's the difference between "of the most common" and "one of the most common"?

While both indicate prevalence, "one of the most common" specifically singles out a single item from a larger group of common items, whereas "of the most common" can refer to qualities shared by a group without necessarily singling out just one. Consider: "This is one "of the most common mistakes"" versus "These are characteristics "of the most common species"".