as an indicative

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as an indicative" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to something that serves as an indication or sign of a particular condition or situation. Example: "The rising temperatures in the region can be seen as an indicative of climate change."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

The tables below are intended as an indicative guide to the Budget, to how announcements yesterday and in last year's pre-Budget report will hit your pocket.

The Guardian - Business

The statistics, widely viewed as an indicative but only partial record of violent deaths, showed 1,971 people died in "terrorism" during January, slightly up from the previous high of 1,930 deaths recorded in December.

The Guardian

Rather than taking them at face value or as gospel, datasets may often serve as an indicative springboard, a starting point or a supplementary source for understanding a topic.

The Guardian

The variation in the pore volume and the pore-size distribution through a profile of weathered rock can be used as an indicative measure of the variation in the degree of weathering with depth.

Engineering Geology

Considering the mean flow speed as an indicative factor, several controllable factors that influence the effect of microbubble drag reduction were investigated in this work by using the Taguchi method.

Ocean Engineering

Any change in its position and absorbance can be taken as an indicative of growth process.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

Marine litter and food waste targets were dropped, as was an indicative goal to improve resource efficiency by 30%.

The Guardian

The IHC method detects this abnormal accumulation and acts as an indirect indicative of mutation in TP53 gene [ 55].

Disease Markers

This is only an indicative value, as more GM varieties will become available in future.

New Biotechnology

Additionally in the unsaturated karst, the saturated moisture content is considered as a highly indicative parameter as it significantly affects the peaks and recessions of the recharge curve.

Journal of Hydrology

In both tests, the time spent immobile is used as a parameter indicative of depression-like behavior.

Amino Acids

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "as an indicative", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being indicated. The relationship should be easily understood by the reader to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid presenting something "as an indicative" when it's merely suggestive or speculative. Ensure sufficient evidence supports the indicative relationship; otherwise, weaken the claim or provide more context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as an indicative" functions as a linking phrase, connecting a specific observation or measurement to a broader conclusion or state. Ludwig examples show it often introduces an interpretation of data or observations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

68%

News & Media

18%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "as an indicative" functions to connect specific details or measurements to a broader context, signaling the relevance of the presented information for deeper understanding. According to Ludwig, the phrase is considered grammatically correct and is "very common" particularly within scientific, news, and formal business domains. While alternatives like "as an indicator" or "as a sign" exist, "as an indicative" carries a formal tone and requires ensuring a clear, evidence-backed relationship to avoid overstating significance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as a sign

Directly implies something serves as evidence or a signal.

as an indicator

Highlights its function of pointing to a specific condition or trend.

as a representation

Suggests something symbolizes or stands for something else.

as a demonstration

Highlights how something actively shows or proves a point.

as a marker

Similar to indicator, but often refers to a more definitive point or characteristic.

as an illustration

Emphasizes its role as an example clarifying a broader concept.

as an instance

Focuses on it being one particular occurrence out of many possibilities.

as a gauge

Implies a measurement or assessment of something.

serving as a clue

Suggests its role in hinting at a deeper understanding or solution.

as a benchmark

Indicates its use as a standard against which other things can be compared.

FAQs

How can I use "as an indicative" in a sentence?

Use "as an indicative" to present something that serves as a sign or symptom of another factor. For example, "The increase in error rate served /s/as+an+indicative of employee's lack of training".

What phrases are similar to "as an indicative"?

Alternatives include "as an indicator", "as a sign", or "as a representation", each subtly altering the connotation of the indication.

Is it always appropriate to use "as an indicative"?

While grammatically correct, "as an indicative" implies a clear relationship. Ensure the connection between the indicative element and what it signifies is well-established and supported by evidence.

What's the difference between "as an indicative" and "as an indicator"?

"As an indicator" is more common and directly refers to something that points to a specific condition. "As an indicative" is a valid phrase but might sound slightly more formal or technical.