substantial lesson

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantial lesson" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an important or significant lesson learned from an experience or situation. Example: "After reflecting on the challenges we faced during the project, I realized that we learned a substantial lesson about teamwork and communication."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"Today" also taught him at least one less substantial lesson.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

There are some very substantial lessons to be learnt if we are going to win in four years' time.

The Guardian

David Blunkett, the former Labour cabinet minister, said Ed Miliband should stop focusing on "airy fairy" issues like electoral reforms as part of the "very substantial lessons" that need to be learnt from the elections (see 2.36pm).

The Guardian

2.36pm: David Blunkett, the former Labour cabinet minister was on Sky earlier to say that Ed Miliband must learn some "very substantial lessons" from the election results which saw the party gain 839 councillors in England but do badly in the devolved elections in Scotland, where the party lost seven seats.

The Guardian

And with lessons going for $5 a pop, even if Apple only saw a tiny fraction of the sales it sees on its other stores (as would probably be the case), it could still drive substantial revenue from lesson purchases alone.

TechCrunch

If preschoolers and kindergartners are offered substantial and coherent lessons concerning the human and natural worlds, then the results show up five years or so later in significantly improved verbal scores.

The New York Times

Practical application is explored through four example tenders encompassing five metrics which demonstrate substantial variation from the lessons identified.

Land Use Policy

The hospital has apologised, paid out a "substantial" sum and insisted "lessons had been learned".

BBC

The intraclass-correlation of variables showed 43.7% of the variance in total being attributed to differences between individuals and 28.7% of the variance in students boredom ratings were attributed to the level of lessons, indicating that substantial differences exist both at the level of lessons and individuals.

Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training

We're now receiving a lesson in how substantial style is.

The Guardian - Books

He was very nice, but it was plain that the government was not going to do anything substantial, and that was the lesson for us.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "substantial lesson" when you want to emphasize that the lesson learned was significant and had a noticeable impact. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "substantial lesson" simply as a stronger version of "lesson". Ensure that the lesson truly represents a significant shift in understanding or a noteworthy insight gained. If the lesson is only minor, opt for a different descriptor.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantial lesson" functions as a noun phrase where "substantial" modifies the noun "lesson". It indicates the significance or importance of the lesson. Ludwig AI supports this usage, reflecting its acceptance in English writing.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "substantial lesson" is a grammatically sound expression used to denote a significant or impactful learning experience. While relatively rare in occurrence, as noted by Ludwig, it is deemed correct and usable in English. The phrase finds usage across diverse domains, prominently featuring in News & Media and Science contexts. Its communicative purpose is to highlight the importance of the lesson. When seeking alternatives, consider options like "significant learning experience" or "valuable takeaway" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

important learning

This option replaces "substantial" with a more common synonym while retaining the core meaning.

considerable insight

This swaps "substantial" with "considerable" retaining the expression's essence.

significant learning experience

This alternative shifts the focus to the experiential aspect of learning, emphasizing the impact on the individual.

profound insight

This phrase highlights the depth of understanding gained, rather than the lesson itself.

valuable takeaway

This emphasizes the practical benefit derived from the experience or information.

meaningful discovery

This alternative focuses on the act of finding something important or relevant.

significant moral

This alternative suggests that the lesson has an ethical or behavioral dimension.

fundamental understanding

This phrase places emphasis on the base level of learning achieved.

key principle

Here the lesson is distilled into a core belief or truth.

critical point

Focuses on the lesson as a pivotal idea or fact.

FAQs

What does "substantial lesson" mean?

A "substantial lesson" refers to a significant and important lesson learned, often implying that the lesson had a considerable impact or taught something of real value. Consider using "important lesson" or "valuable lesson" as alternatives.

How can I use "substantial lesson" in a sentence?

You can use "substantial lesson" to describe a learning experience that resulted in a significant understanding or change. For example: "The project failure taught us a substantial lesson about the importance of planning."

What are some alternatives to "substantial lesson"?

Depending on the context, alternatives to "substantial lesson" include "significant learning experience", "profound insight", or "valuable takeaway".

Is it appropriate to use "substantial lesson" in formal writing?

Yes, "substantial lesson" is appropriate for formal writing. The word "substantial" indicates that the lesson was important and had a large impact, which can be effective in academic or professional contexts.