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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
practically the complete
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "practically the complete" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is almost entirely complete, but not quite fully so. Example: "The report is practically the complete analysis of the data we collected over the past year."
✓ Grammatically correct
Science
News & Media
Encyclopedias
Alternative expressions(20)
essentially complete
for the most part
virtually the entire
virtually complete
almost the completely
nearly complete
effectively complete
almost the whole
approximately the entire
to a considerable degree
a good deal of
almost the total
virtually the whole of
approaches the entire
substantially complete
substantially all of
just about the entire
continues the entire
largely speaking
in great part
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
60 human-written examples
And long before starting the ballet, he had practically memorized "The Complete Lyrics of Cole Porter," edited by Robert Kimball, who became a valuable adviser on the project.
News & Media
Of note are the overwhelming preference for threonine over serine at the position "−2" and the practically complete dominance of valine over other hydrophobic residues in the role of the last C-terminal residue (Fig. 2C).
Science
The practically complete participation rate and the comparable catchment areas of cases and controls contributed to reduce any potential selection bias.
Science
The practically complete lack of expression of the A94fs199X-hSyn II mutant after cDNA transfection could be attributable to poor translation efficiency and/or fast degradation of the aberrant protein.
Science
Importantly, however, the general outcome of all experiments was the same: clamping synchrony at low levels was invariably followed by drastic reductions in cholinergic efficacy, whereas cholinergic 'withdrawal' was followed by the practically complete recovery of cholinergic efficacy.
Science
This can be practically accomplished by complete or partial removal of the glycan shell surrounding the protein peptide chain of glycosylated redox enzymes.
Science
I may say, however, that if absorption of the neck is practically complete and the head lies flush with the margin of the acetabulum, a bone pegging operation, no matter how carefully performed, is useless.
In the current analysis (Fig. 4), the chloroplast genome assemblies are practically complete; the few missing regions tend to correspond to long A-T repeats and other types of microsatellite-like regions (total aligned length 158,903 bp; 1.8% missing data).
By 1503 Narasa had practically completed the process of reconsolidation with which Saluva Narasimha had charged him, although trade restrictions and other impositions by the Portuguese had significantly compromised Vijayanagar's prestige.
Encyclopedias
A second striking feature occurs in Figure 1c and d, where the Kaplan-Meier curves for OS in E1690 are practically in complete overlap for the two treatment arms, while in Figure 1c, there is substantial separation between the two treatment arms in the E1684 study.
These works provided strong support for Galileo's discoveries, and Galileo, who had never been especially generous to Kepler, wrote to him, "I thank you because you were the first one, and practically the only one, to have complete faith in my assertions".
Encyclopedias
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Use "practically the complete" to convey that something is very close to being fully finished or realized, but might have minor outstanding elements. It's useful when absolute completion isn't necessary or achievable.
Common error
Avoid using "practically the complete" when something is truly and demonstrably 100% complete. Opt for "complete" or "fully complete" to maintain accuracy and credibility.
Source & Trust
82%
Authority and reliability
4.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "practically the complete" functions as a modifier, specifying the degree to which something is finished or realized. It softens the claim of absolute completion, implying nearness without full attainment. Ludwig confirms its usability.
Frequent in
Science
40%
News & Media
40%
Encyclopedias
20%
Less common in
Formal & Business
0%
Wiki
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, "practically the complete" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe something that is nearly, but not entirely, complete. While less common than alternatives like "almost complete" or "virtually complete", it serves the purpose of conveying a high degree of completion with a hint of reservation. According to Ludwig AI, it indicates something is almost, but not fully, complete. It appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts, and its usage suggests a neutral to formal register. When writing, reserve this phrase for scenarios where absolute completion is not strictly necessary or has not been fully attained.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
virtually complete
Replaces "practically" with "virtually", emphasizing the near-total aspect.
almost complete
Uses "almost" instead of "practically", a more common synonym indicating nearness to completion.
nearly complete
Similar to "almost complete", but with a slightly different nuance.
effectively complete
Focuses on the functional result of being complete.
for all practical purposes complete
Adds a qualification that the completion is sufficient for practical needs.
essentially complete
Indicates the completion is complete in its essential aspects.
substantially complete
Suggests a significant degree of completion, close to total.
in effect complete
Highlights the practical consequence of completion, even if not strictly perfect.
tantamount to complete
Implies the situation is equivalent to being complete, even if not literally so.
as good as complete
An informal way of saying something is very close to being complete.
FAQs
What does "practically the complete" mean?
The phrase "practically the complete" means something is almost entirely finished or realized, but not quite 100% complete. It implies a very high degree of completion with only minor elements outstanding.
When is it appropriate to use "practically the complete"?
Use "practically the complete" when you want to indicate a very high level of completion but acknowledge that absolute completion hasn't been reached or isn't strictly necessary. It's suitable when the remaining elements are minor or inconsequential.
What are some alternatives to "practically the complete"?
Alternatives include "virtually complete", "almost complete", or "nearly complete". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.
Is "practically the complete" grammatically correct?
Yes, "practically the complete" is grammatically correct, although it's less common than other similar phrases. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its usability, but notes it implies not quite fully so.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
82%
Authority and reliability
4.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested