weak knowledge of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "weak knowledge of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a lack of knowledge or understanding of a specific subject. For example, "He had a weak knowledge of basic math, so his teacher was concerned about his grades."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

This shortage was in part the result of the limited number of medical schools and of students enrolled and graduating from local medical programmes, along with a weak knowledge of medical schools' capacities, strengths and weaknesses [ 1, 2, 4, 7].

Human Resources for Health

Possible reasons for the mismatch include overlapping structures and weak knowledge of members.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The patients with OCD demonstrated weaker knowledge of the causal relationship between actions and their respective outcomes, suggesting a disturbance in goal-directed action control.

American Journal of Psychiatry

The first was that weaker knowledge of Dutch vocabulary and consequently less familiarity with Dutch bigram regularities may influence perception speed, even when pseudowords were involved.

Annals of Dyslexia

It finds that the coexistence of cohesion effects (reciprocity and transitivity) with the weak knowledge bases of some firms in the cluster contribute to a stable informal hierarchical network structure over time.

Research Policy

Poor access to and quality of antenatal care services, weak knowledge and skills of health workers on neonatal care and resuscitation, poor infrastructure of health institutions and inadequate implementation of national protocols are among the factors that contribute to the current levels of neonatal mortality.

Unicef

All the respondents thought some means of continuing education would help them improve their areas of weak knowledge.

Human Resources for Health

This can be explained by the "associative assertions" that patients show when they give a positive evaluation in both quality of life (high mean scores) and strong knowledge and positive attitude to treatment adherence, as well as the negative evaluation when the lowest mean scores in terms of weak knowledge and negative attitude toward treatment adherence.

BMC Health Services Research

The weak knowledge could be a result of deficiencies in the basic nursing education, or lack of continuing maintenance training during working years.

BMC Health Services Research

The Joint Learning Initiative on Human Resources for Health [ 15] identified five challenges to human resources for health: overall shortages, imbalance in skill mix, inequitable distribution and migration of providers, a weak knowledge base, and a negative work environment.

BMC Health Services Research

The findings reported in this paper provide one of those few resources given a weak knowledge base on the subject.

BMC International Health and Human Rights

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "weak knowledge of", clearly specify the subject area to avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of saying "He had a weak knowledge", specify "He had a "weak knowledge of" history".

Common error

Avoid using "weak knowledge of" without specifying the subject. Saying someone has "weak knowledge" is vague. Instead, clarify by stating, for instance, "The student demonstrated "weak knowledge of" algebra", which provides a clearer understanding of their deficiency.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "weak knowledge of" functions as a modifier describing the extent of one's understanding or proficiency in a particular area. It indicates a deficiency or incompleteness in knowledge, but not necessarily a complete absence, as supported by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "weak knowledge of" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a limited or deficient understanding of a particular subject. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a versatile phrase applicable across various contexts, including scientific, news, and business writing. While the phrase is widely understood, it's essential to clearly specify the subject area to avoid vagueness. Alternatives like "limited understanding of" or "poor grasp of" can be used for variety, but "weak knowledge of" remains a straightforward and reliable choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

limited understanding of

Replaces "knowledge" with "understanding" and "weak" with "limited", indicating a restricted comprehension.

poor grasp of

Substitutes "knowledge" with "grasp" and "weak" with "poor", suggesting a deficient understanding or command.

scant familiarity with

Replaces "knowledge" with "familiarity" and "weak" with "scant", implying a minimal or superficial awareness.

rudimentary knowledge of

Replaces "weak" with "rudimentary", which indicates basic or initial knowledge.

superficial understanding of

Replaces "knowledge" with "understanding" and "weak" with "superficial", implying a shallow or incomplete comprehension.

inadequate expertise in

Replaces "knowledge" with "expertise", emphasizing a lack of specialized skill or knowledge.

deficient awareness of

Replaces "knowledge" with "awareness" and "weak" with "deficient", stressing a lack of recognition or consciousness.

basic illiteracy in

Replaces "knowledge" with "illiteracy", highlighting a lack of fundamental competence or understanding.

limited insight into

Replaces "knowledge" with "insight", suggesting a lack of deep understanding or intuition.

tenuous hold on

Emphasizes the fragility or uncertainty of the knowledge, using "tenuous hold" instead of "weak knowledge".

FAQs

How can I use "weak knowledge of" in a sentence?

You can use "weak knowledge of" to indicate a lack of proficiency or understanding in a particular subject. For example, "His "weak knowledge of" the subject made it difficult for him to follow the discussion."

What's a better way to say "weak knowledge of"?

Alternatives to "weak knowledge of" include "limited understanding of", "poor grasp of", or "scant familiarity with", depending on the specific context.

Is it more formal to say "weak knowledge of" or "limited knowledge of"?

"Limited knowledge of" is often considered slightly more formal than "weak knowledge of", but both are generally acceptable in most contexts. Consider the audience and the overall tone of your writing when choosing between the two.

What's the difference between "weak knowledge of" and "lack of knowledge of"?

"Weak knowledge of" implies some understanding, but not a strong one, while "lack of knowledge of" suggests a complete absence of understanding. For example, someone with "weak knowledge of" French might know a few basic phrases, while someone with a "lack of knowledge of" French knows nothing at all.