Meaning & use
contemporary scholars
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Meanings
phraseplural
Scholars living and working now, or those from the same recent period as each other.
Grammar: Plural noun phrase; use a plural verb: Contemporary scholars argue that...
Patterns
- contemporary scholars argue/note/suggest something
- among contemporary scholars
Contemporary scholars have re-examined the letters and reached a different conclusion.
The book surveys how contemporary scholars approach this question.
Among contemporary scholars, few would defend that old theory.
phrasepluralformal
Scholars who lived in the same period as a person or event being discussed.
Grammar: Often followed by 'of' to name the person or period: contemporary scholars of Shakespeare.
Patterns
- contemporary scholars of someone
Contemporary scholars of Newton were amazed by his mathematics.
We know about the battle mainly from contemporary scholars.
Common combinations
- contemporary scholars argue
- Most contemporary scholars argue that the poem had two authors.
- among contemporary scholars
- Among contemporary scholars, this view is now widely accepted.
- contemporary scholars of history
- Contemporary scholars of history rely on newly opened archives.
- a debate among contemporary scholars
- There is a lively debate among contemporary scholars about the date.
Synonyms and how they differ
- modern scholars
- Close in meaning, but 'modern' stresses the present age rather than sharing a period with someone.
- present-day scholars
- Emphasizes scholars alive today; it cannot mean scholars who lived at the same time as a historical figure.
Word family
- contemporary adjective
- belonging to the present time, or existing at the same time as something else
- scholar noun
- a person who studies a subject deeply, especially at a university
- scholarly adjective
- relating to serious academic study
Commonly confused: contemporary scholars or temporary?
contemporary scholars vs temporary
Sounds similar but means 'lasting only a short time'. 'Contemporary' means 'of the present time' or 'of the same period'.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is plural, so it takes 'are'. Option A wrongly uses a singular verb, C wrongly uses a plural phrase after 'a', and D is illogical because Newton's contemporaries lived in his own time, not now.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “contemporary scholars”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.