Meaning & use
key concepts
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Meaning
nounplural
The most important ideas or principles in a subject, which you must understand to learn it well.
Grammar: Plural; the singular is 'a key concept'. It often follows 'understand', 'learn' or 'cover'.
Patterns
- understand the key concepts
- key concepts of something
- key concepts in something
The first chapter introduces the key concepts of economics.
Before the exam, review the key concepts from each unit.
Her notes list the key concepts in simple language.
Word forms
| singular | key concept |
|---|
Common combinations
- understand key concepts
- Students should understand key concepts before moving to advanced problems.
- key concepts of biology
- The course covers the key concepts of biology, such as evolution and cell division.
- grasp key concepts
- It takes time to grasp key concepts like supply and demand.
- review key concepts
- We spent the last class reviewing key concepts for the final.
Synonyms and how they differ
- main ideas
- This is a more general phrase for the central points of a text or talk, not necessarily formal academic principles.
- fundamentals
- This stresses basic, foundational knowledge rather than the specific important ideas of a topic.
Commonly confused: key concepts or key concept?
key concepts vs key concept
Use the singular for one idea: 'The key concept here is scarcity.' Use the plural for several: 'the key concepts of the course'.
Practice
The teacher asked us to write down the key ___ from the lecture.
Choose one answer.
'Key concepts' is the plural noun phrase that fits after 'the key' with 'from the lecture'. 'Concept' would need 'a' or 'the' before it, 'conception' means the forming of an idea, and 'conceptual' is an adjective.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “key concepts”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.