able to be seen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "able to be seen" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that is visible or can be observed. Example: "The stars were bright and clearly able to be seen in the night sky."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

He added: "Paintings should be in museums and should be able to be seen.

The New York Times - Arts

Although there were daily drop-in sessions, I had to wait weeks to be able to be seen regularly.

The Guardian

Any official would drool to be able to be seen publicly correcting this paragon of household correctness.

The New York Times

Poppies are flown thousands of miles so correspondents from Washington to Hong Kong are able to be seen wearing them.

Independent

"After all," Mr. Saffo said, "your indiscretions will be able to be seen by generations and generations of graduate students".

The New York Times - Tech

The highlights, which will be available with commentary in six languages, will be able to be seen after 12 30 p.m., Eastern, during the tournament.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

Whether he will be able to remains to be seen.

The New York Times

If being able to see them seeing you is so terrible, just block them.

Vice

The game I went to, as you may be able to see, was quite empty.

Vice

What we were able to see is how this toxin damages human DNA.

The New York Times - Science

Being able to see is a good thing.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "able to be seen", ensure the context clarifies who or what is doing the seeing. Providing this context enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "able to be seen" when a simpler adjective like "visible" suffices. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound verbose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "able to be seen" functions primarily as an adjectival phrase. It modifies nouns by describing their visibility or potential for being observed. Examples from Ludwig demonstrate its use in various contexts, confirming its role in indicating visual accessibility. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

34%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "able to be seen" is a grammatically correct and frequently used way to describe something that is visible or has the potential to be observed. As noted by Ludwig, it functions as an adjectival phrase and appears across a variety of contexts, including news, science, and general writing. While alternatives like "visible" may sometimes be more concise, "able to be seen" is useful when emphasizing the capability or process of seeing. When incorporating this phrase, ensure clarity by providing context about who or what is doing the seeing, and avoid redundancy with simpler adjectives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

able to be viewed

A more literal alternative, keeping the structure similar but replacing "seen" with "viewed".

visible

A more concise single-word replacement focusing on the capability of being seen.

discernible

Implies the ability to distinguish something visually, adding a nuance of clarity.

perceptible

Suggests that something is noticeable or able to be sensed visually.

detectable

Emphasizes the ability to discover or notice something, especially if it's not immediately obvious.

observable

Highlights the quality of being able to be watched or noticed.

able to be noticed

Focuses on the act of noticing, rather than just seeing.

in view

Indicates that something is within the range of sight.

on display

Suggests that something is intentionally presented for viewing.

within sight

Highlights proximity and the possibility of seeing something from a certain distance.

FAQs

How can I use "able to be seen" in a sentence?

Use "able to be seen" to describe something that is visible or perceptible. For instance, "The comet was "clearly visible" in the night sky".

What are some alternatives to "able to be seen"?

You can use words like "visible", "observable", or "perceptible" as alternatives, depending on the specific nuance you want to convey. For example, you can use "easily detectable" if you mean something can be easily found.

Is it better to say "visible" or "able to be seen"?

While both are correct, "visible" is often more concise and direct. Use "able to be seen" when you want to emphasize the process or capability of seeing something, or when you need to fit the phrase into a specific grammatical structure. In other cases, "simply visible" often is sufficient.

What is the difference between "able to be seen" and "likely to be seen"?

"Able to be seen" means something has the capacity to be visible if conditions are right. "Likely to be seen" suggests there's a high probability that something will be observed.