acknowledge to have

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "acknowledge to have" is not correct and is not commonly used in written English.
It may be intended to express recognition of having done something, but the construction is awkward and unclear. Example: "I acknowledge to have made a mistake" should be rephrased for clarity.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

But he said: "There is now good evidence that the parents reject their previous ideological beliefs, which they now acknowledge to have been extreme and unorthodox; there is no evidence that they have in any sense indoctrinated [the two older children, who] have a much more resilient attitude to extreme ideology than previously".

The Guardian

Administration officials, shrugging off what some acknowledge to have been a series of mistakes, say that L. Paul Bremer III, the American administrator in Iraq, had sensed over the summer that the Iraqis would accept a Turkish presence but that the Iraqis' reluctance had hardened in recent weeks.

The New York Times

Whereas, in a shorter period, Anonymous has managed to provide what the more attentive media outlets now acknowledge to have been of considerable assistance in toppling a dictatorship, and following through with technical and organisational assistance to the population concerned, while also preparing to do likewise elsewhere.

The Guardian - Opinion

This gets him a theory that is as systematic as his classical average utilitarian rival and more systematic than Ross's theory, but Ross can argue that Rawls achieves system at the expense of absolutism, which many acknowledge to have counterintuitive results.

SEP

More than half of children and adolescents (52%) say they have come across pornographic content through advertisements or non-suspicious links, however only 14% acknowledge to have accessed porn-sites voluntarily.

Unicef

He moved to work in a non VL-endemic area and denied a history of drug abuse, blood transfusion and paid blood donation, but did acknowledge to have multiple sexual partners.

Emerging Microbes and Infections

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The partition is frankly acknowledged to have been a mistake.

The Economist

His mother, Leila, is acknowledged to have the brains.

The Guardian - Books

This movement, which abhors violence and embraces capitalism, is acknowledged to have kept Turkish Islam tame.

The Economist

Three states which are widely acknowledged to have nuclear weapons have never signed the NPT: India, Israel and Pakistan.

The Guardian

To the transformation of the office into a place where workers are acknowledged to have families?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "acknowledge to have" in formal writing. Opt for more grammatically correct alternatives like "acknowledge having" or "admit to having" for clearer communication.

Common error

Do not assume that "acknowledge to have" is interchangeable with other verb phrases. It often leads to awkward and grammatically incorrect sentences. Always double-check verb tense and structure when expressing acknowledgment or admission.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "acknowledge to have" functions as a verb phrase that attempts to express recognition or admission of a past action or state. However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is not grammatically correct and should be avoided in favor of more standard alternatives.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

43%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "acknowledge to have" attempts to convey recognition or admission of a past action, but it's grammatically incorrect according to Ludwig AI. While it appears in a few contexts like News & Media and Science, its usage is uncommon and should be avoided in formal writing. Better alternatives include "acknowledge having" or "admit to having", which offer improved clarity and grammatical accuracy. Therefore, always prioritize grammatically sound constructions to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acknowledge having

Replaces "to have" with a gerund, creating a more grammatically sound construction.

admit to having

Uses "admit" instead of "acknowledge", providing a clearer and more common way to express admission.

confess to having

Utilizes "confess" instead of "acknowledge", conveying a sense of guilt or wrongdoing.

recognize having

Substitutes "acknowledge" with "recognize", offering a slightly different nuance of acceptance.

accept responsibility for having

Expands the phrase to explicitly state acceptance of responsibility, clarifying the meaning.

concede to having

Replaces "acknowledge" with "concede", implying a reluctant admission.

own up to having

Uses a phrasal verb "own up to", providing a more informal way to admit something.

avow to have

Swaps "acknowledge" with "avow", suggesting a more formal and emphatic declaration, though still better with a gerund.

declare to have

Replaces "acknowledge" with "declare", indicating a formal announcement, though still better with a gerund.

profess to have

Uses "profess" in place of "acknowledge", implying a claim that may be questioned, though still better with a gerund.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the phrase "acknowledge to have"?

While "acknowledge to have" appears in some contexts, it's generally better to use phrases like "acknowledge having" or "admit to having" for grammatical correctness.

What are some alternatives to "acknowledge to have" in a formal context?

In formal writing, consider using more precise and grammatically sound alternatives such as "recognize having", "concede to having", or "declare to have" followed by the correct verb form.

Is "acknowledge to have" grammatically correct?

Ludwig AI indicates that "acknowledge to have" is not a standard English construction. It's advisable to use alternatives like "acknowledge having" or "confess to having" for clarity and correctness.

Which is the difference between "acknowledge to have" and "acknowledge having"?

"Acknowledge having" is grammatically correct, using a gerund after "acknowledge". "Acknowledge to have" is generally considered incorrect and less clear. Therefore, it is advisable to use "acknowledge having" for clear communication.