overall competence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "overall competence" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It refers to the overall level of skill, knowledge, and ability that a person or group possesses. You can use "overall competence" in a sentence to describe someone's general capabilities, such as: - "The candidate's overall competence in project management impressed the hiring committee." - "The company's success can be attributed to their employees' overall competence in customer service." - "The students' overall competence in mathematics has improved since the beginning of the semester." - "The team's overall competence in problem-solving allowed them to complete the task ahead of schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

It focused neither on what competencies nurses possessed nor on the level of overall competence but rather on the factors influencing the development of competence over time.

International Journal of Nursing Studies

26 41 Trainers and assessors use these instruments to assess trainee competencies both to support training (formatively) and to determine overall competence (summatively).

Gut

The Conservatives, by contrast, can trade on their overall competence.

The Economist

Indeed, this only trivializes the real concerns about the president's fitness for office and the overall competence of the White House.

The Washington Post

It centers on restoring reality-based budgeting, overall competence and redeveloping downtowns as economic engines of an aging suburb that has no room to sprawl.

The New York Times

And while the committee found the decision to close the investigation "justified," it questioned the overall competence of the agency to regulate automotive electronics.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Significant improvements in perceptions of overall athletic competence and competence related to five specific sports were found.

Evaluation and Program Planning

Fourth, integrating grammar and pragmatic instruction has potentially fostered each participant's overall communicative competence (in which his/her grammatical competence is subsumed).

Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education

We found a weak association between self-perceived overall cultural competence and the assessed cultural competence domains.

BMC Medical Education

More precisely, we a) evaluated the theoretical, practical medication and decision-making competences of the students, b) evaluated the overall medication competence of the students, and c) identified factors associated with medication competence at the beginning and at the end of their education.

BMC Medical Education

To analyze overall medication competence, the results of the subcategories on medication competence were summarized.

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When evaluating performance, use "overall competence" to summarize an individual's or team's capabilities across multiple areas. This provides a holistic view beyond specific skills.

Common error

Avoid using "overall competence" when referring to expertise in a single, narrow area. Use it to describe a broader set of capabilities to get to a more nuanced evaluation of one's aptitudes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "overall competence" functions as a noun phrase, where "overall" modifies the noun "competence". It refers to a general or comprehensive level of ability or skill, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

26%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "overall competence" is a commonly used and grammatically correct phrase that describes a general level of skill or ability. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is used across various contexts, including science, news, and business. While alternatives like "general proficiency" and "total capability" exist, the specific choice depends on the nuance you want to convey. Use "overall competence" when you need to provide a holistic view of capabilities, and avoid using it to describe expertise in a single, narrow area. The phrase maintains a formal register, making it suitable for professional and academic settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

total competence

Synonymous, putting emphasis on all-encompassing nature.

overall proficiency

Synonymous, placing emphasis on the accomplishment level.

general proficiency

Focuses on the general level of skill or expertise.

total capability

Emphasizes the complete extent of one's abilities.

comprehensive skill

Highlights the breadth and depth of expertise.

holistic capability

Suggests a more integrated and complete set of abilities.

broad expertise

Underlines the extensive knowledge and skill in a specific field.

global skill set

Highlights the presence of a wide range of skills.

complete mastery

Indicates a very high level of skill and control.

general effectiveness

Focuses on the ability to produce desired results across different situations.

FAQs

How do you use "overall competence" in a sentence?

You can use "overall competence" to describe someone's general abilities. For instance, "The training program aims to improve the team's "overall competence" in project management."

What is a good substitute for "overall competence"?

Alternatives to "overall competence" include "general proficiency", "total capability", or "comprehensive skill", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct, "overall competence" or "overall competency"?

Both "overall competence" and "overall competency" are grammatically correct, but "competence" is often preferred in formal contexts. "Competency" might be used when referring to a specific, measurable skill or ability.

What's the difference between "overall competence" and "specific skill"?

"Overall competence" refers to a broad and encompassing set of abilities, while "specific skill" refers to a particular capability within a defined area. For example, "overall competence" might include communication, problem-solving, and technical skills, whereas "specific skill" could be coding in Python.