Meaning & use
a concrete detail
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Meanings
nouncountable
A specific fact, example, or piece of information that supports a general statement.
Grammar: Countable, so you can say a concrete detail, two concrete details, or the concrete details in the report.
Patterns
- include a concrete detail
- give a concrete detail about something
- support something with concrete details
Instead of saying the trip was fun, add a concrete detail like the name of the beach you visited.
Her essay was strong because every paragraph contained at least one concrete detail from the interview.
The teacher asked us to replace vague words with concrete details such as dates and places.
nouncountable
A small, particular feature of something that can be clearly seen or checked.
Grammar: Often used in the plural to talk about several small features that together make something real or believable.
Patterns
- the concrete details of something
- describe the concrete details
- focus on concrete details
The police report described the concrete details of the accident, including the exact time and location.
A good mystery story needs concrete details about the setting so readers can picture it.
Before you sign the contract, read every concrete detail about payments and deadlines.
Word forms
| plural | concrete details |
|---|
Common combinations
- a concrete detail
- Please give me a concrete detail about what happened, not just your opinion.
- concrete details
- The witness provided concrete details that helped the investigation.
- include a concrete detail
- Try to include a concrete detail in each body paragraph.
- support with concrete details
- She supported her argument with concrete details from the survey.
- vivid concrete detail
- The author uses vivid concrete detail to make the scene come alive.
Synonyms and how they differ
- specific example
- Focuses on one instance that shows a general point; a concrete detail can also be a fact or number, not only an example.
- fact
- A fact is a true piece of information; a concrete detail is any specific, real feature, which may or may not be a fact.
- particular
- As a noun, particular means a single specific thing; concrete detail is more common in writing advice and emphasizes that the information is real and exact.
Opposites
Word family
- concrete adjective
- Real and specific, not general or abstract.
- concretely adverb
- In a specific and clear way.
- detail noun
- A small piece of information about something.
- detailed adjective
- Having many facts or features.
Commonly confused: a concrete detail or abstract detail?
a concrete detail vs abstract detail
Abstract detail refers to a general idea or quality that you cannot see or touch, while a concrete detail is specific and real, like a name or date.
Practice
Which sentence uses "a concrete detail" correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 gives a specific, real feature (the weather that day), which is what a concrete detail means. Option 1 is vague because "being very nice" is not a specific fact. Option 2 is a general opinion, not a concrete detail. Option 3 lists abstract ideas, which are the opposite of concrete details.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a concrete detail”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.