to gain a basic understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to gain a basic understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the process of acquiring fundamental knowledge about a subject or topic. Example: "Before diving into the advanced concepts, it's important to gain a basic understanding of the fundamentals."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

The objective is to gain a basic understanding of the influence of unsteady flow stretching on the flame's response.

Combustion and Flame

Similarly, the textile engineers need to gain a basic understanding of key structural and mechanical aspects of the heart valve.

Biotechnology Advances

Next, students peruse The New York Times and International Herald Tribune to gain a basic understanding of what is going on in the world currently.

The New York Times

Then I'd begin reading my sources, perusing each only long enough to gain a basic understanding of a principle and to find a quotable passage demonstrating said principle.

The New York Times

As a class, read this timeline to gain a basic understanding of the sequence of statements and watch video statements by Romney and President Obama.

The New York Times

Students are encouraged to take additional lower division courses to gain a basic understanding and background in the subject area for their upper division Area of Interest.

University of California, Berkeley

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Furthermore, we hypothesize that in communicating groups, the need to quickly gain a basic understanding of the dynamics overshadows not only the devotion to improve management of the private resource but also the potential tensions brought by the asymmetry in resource access.

Ecological Economics

Author(s): Annissa Hambouz, The New York Times Learning Network Andrea Perelman, The Bank Street College of Education in New York City Suggested Time Allowance: 1 hour Objectives: Students will: 1. Reflect on the relationship between "richer" and "poorer" countries; gain a basic understanding of the Group of 8 and the relevance of the themes of the 2005 G-8 Summit.

The New York Times

Further, the comparison of various deep-learning applications helps readers gain a basic understanding of machine learning, and inspires applications in IDS and other related areas in cybersecurity.

Springer

However, during the process of optimizing and realizing their full potential, it is pertinent to gain a basic mechanistic understanding of the bottlenecks existing for nanoparticle-mediated intracellular delivery.

Journal of Controlled Release

A highly promising area is the translation of cognitive neuroscience discoveries to gain a basic-science understanding of behavioral and pharmacological treatment outcomes.

Alcohol research : current reviews

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing for a broad audience, use "to gain a basic understanding" to indicate that no prior knowledge is assumed. This sets a clear expectation for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "to gain a basic understanding" when the context implies a more in-depth exploration of the subject. Instead, opt for phrases like "to develop a comprehensive knowledge" or "to achieve a nuanced perspective".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to gain a basic understanding" functions as an infinitive phrase, typically serving as a purpose or reason within a sentence. It often introduces the objective of an action, indicating what someone hopes to achieve. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

31%

Academia

19%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "to gain a basic understanding" is a grammatically sound and widely accepted infinitive phrase used to express the purpose of acquiring foundational knowledge. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is suitable for various contexts, although predominantly found in science, news, and academic writing. While semantically similar phrases like "to acquire a fundamental knowledge" exist, "to gain a basic understanding" strikes a balance between formality and clarity, making it a versatile choice for conveying the intent to grasp the essentials of a subject. However, be mindful not to use it when deeper explorations are in place.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to acquire a fundamental knowledge

Replaces "gain a basic understanding" with a more formal tone.

to develop a rudimentary grasp

Substitutes "basic understanding" with a slightly different synonym, implying an initial level of comprehension.

to get a foundational overview

Replaces "gain" with "get", and "understanding" with "overview", suggesting a summary level of knowledge.

to obtain a primary insight

Uses "obtain" instead of "gain" and "insight" for "understanding", implying a glimpse of initial awareness.

to achieve an elementary comprehension

Employs more formal vocabulary for a similar meaning.

to secure a simple appreciation

Implies a basic, positive awareness instead of deep knowledge.

to build a ground-level awareness

Focuses on creating an awareness from scratch.

to establish a starting knowledge

Highlights the initial establishment of knowledge.

to foster a preliminary perception

Indicates an early, initial perception of the subject.

to cultivate a nascent recognition

Uses more sophisticated vocabulary to convey the beginning of awareness.

FAQs

How can I use "to gain a basic understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "to gain a basic understanding" to describe the process of acquiring fundamental knowledge. For example, "Students need to "to gain a basic understanding" of algebra before moving on to calculus."

What are some alternatives to "to gain a basic understanding"?

Some alternatives include "to acquire a fundamental knowledge", "to develop a rudimentary grasp", or "to get a foundational overview", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Which is correct: "to gain a basic understanding" or "to gain a comprehensive understanding"?

Both are correct, but they imply different levels of knowledge. "To gain a basic understanding" suggests acquiring introductory knowledge, while "to gain a comprehensive understanding" indicates a more thorough and in-depth acquisition of knowledge.

What's the difference between "to gain a basic understanding" and "to develop a basic understanding"?

While similar, "to gain a basic understanding" often refers to an initial acquisition of knowledge, whereas "to develop a basic understanding" suggests a gradual process of building upon existing knowledge.