substantive issues

USAGE SUMMARY

"substantive issues" is a perfectly usable phrase in written English.
It usually refers to serious and important matters that need to be discussed or addressed. For example: "The board of directors had to confront a number of substantive issues during their monthly meeting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There are substantive issues.

The New York Times

The candidates discussed substantive issues.

The Economist

"The substantive issues," he said, "are secondary".

The New York Times

Later, he turned to more substantive issues.

The New Yorker

But two substantive issues remain.

The New Yorker

"They did not discuss substantive issues".

The Guardian

We then address the substantive issues in three stages.

Accounting, Organizations and Society

"It remains essential to make progress on substantive issues".

The New York Times

We have substantive issues to discuss with Tehran".

The New York Times

But, of course, there are more substantive issues than timing.

The New Yorker

"We are talking about substantive issues," countered the correspondent.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In reports or presentations, follow the mention of "substantive issues" with specific examples to provide clarity and support your claims.

Common error

Avoid using "substantive issues" as a vague placeholder without specifying what these issues are. Always aim to provide context and detail to make your writing more impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantive issues" functions as a noun phrase, where "substantive" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "issues". According to Ludwig, this phrase is perfectly usable in written English, often referring to significant matters needing discussion or resolution.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

21%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "substantive issues" is a well-established phrase used to denote significant and important matters needing attention. According to Ludwig, its grammatical correctness and common usage across various sources, including news, academia, and science, affirm its validity in both formal and neutral contexts. While alternatives like "significant matters" or "critical concerns" exist, "substantive issues" effectively highlights the weight and importance of the discussed topics. Remember to specify the issues to avoid vagueness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significant matters

Emphasizes the importance or impact of the issues being discussed.

important considerations

Highlights the need to carefully think about these issues before making decisions.

critical concerns

Focuses on the urgency and potential risks associated with these issues.

key problems

Directly addresses the issues as obstacles or challenges that need to be solved.

major questions

Framing issues as queries that need to be answered.

fundamental questions

Emphasizes the basic and essential nature of the inquiries.

essential points

Highlights the crucial aspects of a discussion or argument.

core subjects

Focuses on the main topics or themes under consideration.

principal topics

Stresses the leading or primary themes being discussed.

genuine problems

Highlights the authenticity of the problems.

FAQs

How can I use "substantive issues" in a sentence?

You can use "substantive issues" to refer to important topics or problems that require discussion or action. For instance, "The committee needs to address several substantive issues before the project can proceed."

What are some alternatives to "substantive issues"?

Alternatives include "significant matters", "important considerations", or "critical concerns", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "substantive issues" in informal contexts?

While "substantive issues" is generally suitable for formal contexts, it can be used in informal settings as well if you want to emphasize the seriousness of the topics being discussed. However, simpler phrases might be more appropriate depending on your target audience.

What's the difference between "substantive issues" and "technical issues"?

"Substantive issues" refer to the main, important topics or problems at hand, while "technical issues" refer to problems related to technology or specific processes. For example, a company might face substantive issues related to its overall strategy and technical issues with its computer systems.