ability to ascertain

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ability to ascertain" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing someone's capacity to determine or find out information or facts. Example: "Her ability to ascertain the truth in complex situations makes her an invaluable asset to the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

"The public's ability to ascertain the difference between good versus mediocre has ratcheted up," Mr. Coraine said.

The New York Times - Food

Psychotherapy research with older adults has benefited from methodological advances that improve our ability to ascertain the impact of psychotherapy on late-life disorders.

The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

The view that without RCTs, there is no reliable evidence has hampered our ability to ascertain the best course of action for our patients.

Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease

Besides obvious applications in computer vision and graphics, this accords with our perceptual ability to ascertain the brdf (or degree of shininess) of a surface, independently of the lighting conditions.

Stanford University

The ability to ascertain whether certain IS drugs are associated with a higher malignancy potential is also influenced by previous patient exposure to other IS therapies.

Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection

For years now, Warren Buffett's name has been nearly synonymous with the term "value investing". A disciple of Benjamin Grahamanthe man known as the "Father of Value Investing --Buffett has become the world's most well-known investor thanks to his ability to ascertain the value of various securities and then buy them for less, a concept at the core of value investing.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

One unique strength of this study was our ability to control for clinically ascertained preexisting conditions and lung function.

Environmental Health Perspectives

This approach could mimic the characteristics that make human tutoring so effective, including the ability to immediately ascertain what a student needs to learn, to tailor instruction to those needs, and to provide immediate feedback regarding student progress.

The New York Times

Participants may have had problems recalling baseline health status over a 12-month period, limiting our ability to accurately ascertain actual baseline level of functioning.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Currently, there is a lack of appropriate tools to estimate survival time for a person with dementia, which arguably hampers clinicians' ability to effectively ascertain disease progression and associated symptomatology in order to guide treatment and care up to and including end-of-life [ 47].

BMC Geriatrics

The incidence rate was estimated by incident cases of diabetes identified during the calendar year of 2010 divided by the population at risk (n = 1,912,916), which excluded those with known (prevalent) diabetes at baseline or incomplete membership in the previous year (precluding ability to reliably ascertain if they joined with pre-existing diabetes).

Diabetes Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ability to ascertain", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being determined or established. Providing specific details enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "ability to ascertain" when the context involves speculation or estimation. This phrase implies a higher degree of certainty than may be warranted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ability to ascertain" functions as a noun phrase, describing the capacity or power to determine something definitively. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically sound and usable in written English, acting as a subject or object in a sentence.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

57%

News & Media

29%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ability to ascertain" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe the capacity to determine or establish facts with certainty. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability. While relatively uncommon, it appears most frequently in scientific, news, and academic contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying what is being determined and avoid overstating certainty in speculative situations. Alternatives include "capacity to determine" and "skill in discovering".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

capacity to determine

Replaces 'ability' with 'capacity', implying a potential for ascertainment.

skill in discovering

Substitutes 'ability' with 'skill' and 'ascertain' with 'discovering', focusing on the proficiency in finding out.

capability to establish

Uses 'capability' instead of 'ability' and 'establish' instead of 'ascertain', indicating a focus on confirming or proving.

power to discern

Replaces 'ability' with 'power' and 'ascertain' with 'discern', highlighting the authority and keenness of perception.

aptitude for identifying

Emphasizes a natural talent ('aptitude') for recognizing ('identifying') something.

facility in determining

Focuses on the ease ('facility') with which something can be decided ('determining').

potential to verify

Highlights the possibility ('potential') of confirming the truth ('verify').

means to confirm

Focuses on resources that enable one to validate ('means to confirm').

resources to establish

Concentrates on available means to make certain ('resources to establish').

expertise in figuring out

Highlights specialized knowledge and skills applied to solving or discovering ('expertise in figuring out').

FAQs

How can I use "ability to ascertain" in a sentence?

You can use "ability to ascertain" to describe someone's capacity to determine or establish a fact. For example, "Her ability to ascertain the truth was crucial to the investigation."

What are some alternatives to "ability to ascertain"?

You can use alternatives like "capacity to determine", "skill in discovering", or "capability to establish" depending on the context.

Is it better to use "ability to ascertain" or "ability to assess"?

While both are valid, "ability to ascertain" implies a higher degree of certainty and discovery, whereas "ability to assess" /s/ability+to+assess indicates evaluation and judgment. Choose the phrase that best reflects the intended meaning.

What does "ascertain" mean in the context of "ability to ascertain"?

In this context, "ascertain" means to find something out for certain; to make sure of something. Thus, "ability to ascertain" refers to the capacity to discover or determine something definitively.