Meaning & use
concrete detail
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Meanings
nouncountable
A specific fact, example, or piece of information that can be seen, measured, or clearly identified.
Grammar: Countable: you can talk about one concrete detail or several concrete details.
Patterns
- a concrete detail about something
- give/provide concrete details
- support something with concrete details
The report gives concrete details about how much the project will cost.
Instead of saying the room was messy, add a concrete detail like 'pizza boxes covered the desk'.
Her essay was strong because every claim was supported by a concrete detail.
nouncountabletechnical
In school writing, a precise piece of evidence such as a quotation, statistic, or description used to support an idea.
Grammar: Often used in the plural in writing lessons: 'Use at least three concrete details.'
Patterns
- a concrete detail from the text
- include concrete details in an essay
The teacher asked us to underline one concrete detail in each paragraph.
A concrete detail from the story, such as the broken watch, helps prove the theme.
Good analysis always follows the concrete detail, not the other way around.
Word forms
| plural | concrete details |
|---|
Common combinations
- concrete detail about
- The witness gave a concrete detail about the car's color.
- specific concrete detail
- Add one specific concrete detail to make your argument convincing.
- support with concrete details
- You must support your opinion with concrete details.
- lack concrete details
- The proposal lacked concrete details, so nobody trusted it.
- concrete detail from the text
- Choose a concrete detail from the text to discuss in your paragraph.
Synonyms and how they differ
- specific
- An adjective, not a noun; it describes something exact, while 'concrete detail' is the exact fact itself.
- evidence
- Broader and more formal; evidence proves a point, while a concrete detail is one clear piece of information that may serve as evidence.
- example
- A concrete detail can be an example, but examples are often general illustrations, whereas concrete details are precise and observable.
Opposites
Word family
- concretely adverb
- In a clear and specific way: 'Please explain concretely what you mean.'
- concreteness noun
- The quality of being specific and real rather than vague.
Commonly confused: concrete detail or concrete?
concrete detail vs concrete
'Concrete' alone can mean the hard building material; 'concrete detail' means a specific fact, not something made of cement.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'concrete detail' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A concrete detail must be specific and observable, like a date or a number. The other options name abstract ideas or vague words, which are the opposite of concrete details.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “concrete detail”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.