I probed on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I probed on" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey the idea of continuing to investigate or inquire about something, but the phrasing is awkward and not commonly used. Example: "During the interview, I probed on the candidate's previous experiences to gain a better understanding of their qualifications."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

He kept his promise and was surprisingly frank, hitting back as I probed on subjects like the season ticket deal with Ticketus, former owner Sir David Murray, PAYE, administrator Duff and Phelps and the role of the Scottish Premier League.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

To provide some more clarity on his intentions, I probed Khodorkovsky on whether he had political aspirations in the early 2000s.

Huffington Post

In 2015, I probed Ebell on Murray Energy funding during a debate on C-SPAN.

Huffington Post

When I probed him on this, he explained that he doesn't "want Africans to experience the same collapse of their family-centred Christian infrastructure that is still unfolding in America and Europe.

The Guardian

I probed him on this.

Huffington Post

"Every time I probed yesterday on the circumstances, the response was just basically a generic, 'That is what's required for security, this is what is required for control.'".

Vice

Still, as the tour goes on, I probe for a deeper understanding of how the Boss feels about his adversaries.

Vice

Maybe they're not at the 1 but somewhere closer to 'hell in handbasket' than 'it's all going to work out just fine.' " I probed a bit on his definition of unraveling, recalling periods in history when the lands with forests not far from where we sit together were once covered by glaciers.

The New York Times

This figure shows that Infinium I probes on average tend to underestimate the methylation signal output by WGBS, while the Infinium II probes tend to overestimate the methylation status.

BMC Genomics

500 ng of bisulfite-converted DNA were probed on the Illumina Goldengate Methylation Cancer Panel I.

BMC Cancer

Another scenario is when someone comes to me to claim something about someone else; I probe and prod on the truth and the facts, and try to get the emotion removed.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "I probed on" in formal writing. Opt for stronger, more direct verbs such as "questioned", "investigated", or "inquired about" for clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

The error with "I probed on" lies in the unnecessary preposition. The verb "probe" typically doesn't require "on" when followed by the subject of the inquiry. Instead of saying "I probed on the issue", say "I probed the issue."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I probed on" functions as a verb phrase where "I" is the subject, "probed" is the verb, and "on" is an unnecessary preposition. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is not correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "I probed on" appears in various online sources, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect in standard written English. It's best to use alternative phrases such as "I questioned", "I investigated", or "I inquired about" for clarity and grammatical correctness. Although the phrase's intended meaning is clear—to describe an act of questioning or investigating—its non-standard construction makes it unsuitable for formal writing. While its usage frequency is rare and the source quality is relatively high, the grammatical inaccuracy outweighs its contextual presence, making alternative phrasing preferable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I asked about

Provides a simple, direct alternative for requesting information.

I questioned

Offers a simpler and more common verb to express the act of asking questions.

I inquired into

A more formal way to express asking questions about something.

I inquired about

Replaces "probed on" with a more standard and direct verb and preposition, focusing on the act of asking.

I investigated

Emphasizes a more formal or systematic examination, instead of direct questioning.

I investigated the subject of

Signifies a formal exploration into a specific area of interest.

I pressed on the matter of

Highlights the persistence in questioning a specific issue.

I delved into

Suggests a deeper and more thorough exploration of a topic.

I examined the details of

Focuses on scrutinizing the specific aspects of something, going beyond simple inquiry.

I explored the subject of

Indicates a broader investigation into a particular topic.

FAQs

Is "I probed on" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "I probed on" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. The verb "probe" typically doesn't require the preposition "on" after it. It's more appropriate to say "I probed the issue" or use alternative phrases like "I inquired about" or "I questioned".

What are some alternatives to "I probed on"?

Instead of "I probed on", you can use phrases like "I questioned", "I investigated", "I inquired about", or "I delved into". These alternatives are more grammatically sound and widely accepted in standard English.

How can I use the verb "probe" correctly in a sentence?

To use the verb "probe" correctly, avoid adding the preposition "on" after it when you're specifying the subject of your inquiry. For instance, instead of "I probed on the candidate's background", say "I probed the candidate's background" or consider alternatives like "I inquired about the candidate's background".

Which is the correct: "I probed on the matter" or "I probed the matter"?

"I probed the matter" is the correct and more grammatically accepted way to phrase it. The addition of "on" is unnecessary and makes the sentence awkward. Other options include "I investigated the matter" or "I questioned the matter".