acquire know how

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "acquire know how" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "acquire know-how," which refers to gaining practical knowledge or skills in a particular area. Example: "To succeed in this industry, it is essential to acquire know-how through hands-on experience and training."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

In a nearly successful end run around the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, Iraq used a legal civilian nuclear energy program as a decoy to acquire know-how and materials for bomb making.

The New York Times

Nowadays, in the context of CO2 reduction and gas turbine fuel flexibility, the interest in acquiring know-how on lean Hydrogen Enriched Natural Gas (HENG) is growing.

Combustion and Flame

To keep the costs of knowledge transfer low, they considered trying to codify the acquired know-how.

Harvard Business Review

But it is done there not so much to make money, nor even to bar others from using the acquired know-how.

The Economist

In acquiring know-how from abroad, protecting its infant industries, and using the levers of the state to hasten development, it is following a blueprint that most other developed countries used at some point — from Britain, to the United States, to Japan, to Taiwan and South Korea, to India.

The New Yorker

They might have some kind of family connection to the world of letters, or acquire one and know how to exploit it.

The Guardian - Books

But while buying McLaren could be a way to acquire many engineers who know how to make a whole car, McLaren has said it's not having investment discussions with Apple right now.

TechCrunch

As people acquire know-how that they can share cheaply with others and develop technologies that allow them to spread their goods and ideas over larger territories at lower cost, their incentive to cooperate steadily increases, because other people become more valuable alive than dead.

University of California, Berkeley

"I don't know how acquiring Compaq helps the printer business," he said.

The New York Times

Like Yukos, a bigger oil firm, Sibneft went from being an inefficient monster, acquired who knows how, into an investors' darling.

The Economist

It's a happy hunting time for companies that know how to acquire technology.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct form "acquire know-how" when referring to gaining practical knowledge. Ensure the hyphen is included.

Common error

Avoid writing "acquire know how". The correct form, "acquire know-how", includes a hyphen to properly connect the words and clarify the meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "acquire know how" functions as a verb phrase where "acquire" is the verb, and "know how" attempts to act as a noun. However, this phrasing is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "acquire know-how". Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is not correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "acquire know how" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "acquire know-how", which means to gain practical skills or expertise in a specific area. Ludwig AI confirms the incorrect usage of the initial query. To avoid errors, always include the hyphen when using this phrase. Alternatives such as "gain expertise", "develop competence", or "obtain proficiency" can be used depending on the specific context you are trying to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

gain expertise

Focuses on achieving a high level of skill or knowledge.

obtain proficiency

Emphasizes reaching a competent level of skill.

develop competence

Highlights the process of building skills.

learn the ropes

An idiomatic expression for learning the basics of a task or job.

master the technique

Suggests achieving a high level of skill in a specific technique.

build up skills

Emphasizes a gradual increase in abilities.

gather knowledge

Focuses on accumulating information.

pick up skills

Implies learning skills informally or passively.

cultivate expertise

Suggests nurturing and developing specialized knowledge.

assimilate knowledge

Highlights the integration of knowledge into one's understanding.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "acquire know how"?

The correct phrasing is "acquire know-how", with a hyphen between "know" and "how". This is the standard and grammatically correct way to express gaining practical knowledge or expertise.

What does "acquire know-how" mean?

"Acquire know-how" means to gain practical knowledge, skills, or expertise in a specific area. It suggests learning through experience and training to become proficient.

What can I use instead of "acquire know-how"?

You can use alternatives like "gain expertise", "develop competence", or "obtain proficiency" depending on the context. These phrases convey a similar meaning of gaining knowledge or skills.

Is "acquire knowledge" the same as "acquire know-how"?

While both refer to gaining understanding, "acquire knowledge" is more general and refers to gaining information or theoretical understanding. "Acquire know-how" specifically refers to gaining practical skills and expertise through experience.