as we initially expected

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as we initially expected" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a situation or outcome that aligns with your original predictions or assumptions. Example: "The results of the experiment were as we initially expected, confirming our hypothesis."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

On the whole, the perception of freight issues by participants in neighbourhood councils was not as negative as we initially expected.

European Transport Research Review

"With the Kickstarter campaign, we are now producing 17,000 devices instead of 1,000 as we initially expected," co-founder and CEO Séverin Marcombes told me in a phone interview.

TechCrunch

Although our analysis found on average higher probabilities of RNA base pairing at the 3' end of the 5'UTR region in the eIF4E responsive mRNAs, this effect is not as strong as we initially expected.

Plosone

If the E3 ligase activity of CHFR is more important for growth suppression, as we initially expected, the core region of this tumor suppressor that is required for its anti-proliferative effects was anticipated to be the RF domain.

Plosone

The correlation coefficient is 0.36, which is not as high as we initially expected considering both EST and SAGE libraries were prepared from the same mRNA sample.

BMC Biology

Although cohabitation is more like marriage in France than in the U.S., differences by union type are somewhat similar in France and the U.S. Thus, we do not observe as much differentiation between France and the U.S. as we initially expected.

Demographic Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

As aldosterone regulates ENaC, we initially expected a major difference in u-ENaCγ.

BMC Nephrology

In fact such a relationship is what we initially expected.

Health Economics Review

Therefore, we initially expected a high efficiency of trastuzumab.

British Journal of Cancer

We initially expected this might correspond to MT/V5.

Cerebral Cortex

Many large retailers decided to adopt RFID as their new supply chain technology, but RFID adoption by all industries did not spread as rapidly as initially expected.

Information & Management

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "as we initially expected", ensure it's clear what the initial expectation was and how the actual outcome differed or aligned with it. This provides context and clarity for the reader.

Common error

Ensure the subject of the expectation is explicitly stated. Omitting this can lead to confusion about who held the initial expectation, for example: instead of saying "As initially expected, sales declined", specify "As we initially expected, sales declined."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as we initially expected" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a clause by providing information about the speaker's prior expectations. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "as we initially expected" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase, functioning as an adverbial modifier to indicate that a situation or outcome aligned with prior expectations. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. It is most frequently found in scientific and news contexts, with a neutral formality level. To improve clarity, explicitly state the subject of the expectation. Alternative phrases include "as we originally thought" and "as we had anticipated". Overall, this phrase is a useful tool for expressing confirmation of predictions or assumptions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as we originally thought

Replaces "initially expected" with "originally thought", emphasizing a shift from a prior belief.

as we had anticipated

Uses "anticipated" to convey a sense of foreseeing or expecting something beforehand, slightly more formal.

as we predicted at first

Adds "at first" to clarify the initial nature of the prediction.

contrary to our initial expectations

Expresses the opposite meaning, indicating the outcome was different from what was initially foreseen.

contrary to what we first assumed

Similar to the previous, but uses "assumed" to denote a prior belief without strong evidence.

against our initial hypothesis

More specific to scientific or research contexts, referring to a testable hypothesis.

different from our original forecast

Uses "forecast" to indicate a projection or prediction, often in business or economic contexts.

not in accordance with our early projections

More formal and emphasizes the lack of alignment with earlier projections.

contrary to our starting presumption

Highlights the difference between the actual outcome and the initial assumption.

in contrast to our first assumptions

Emphasizes the divergence between the actual outcome and the initial assumption.

FAQs

How can I use "as we initially expected" in a sentence?

You can use "as we initially expected" to compare a prior expectation with an actual outcome. For example, "The experiment yielded results "as we initially expected", confirming our hypothesis."

What are some alternatives to "as we initially expected"?

Alternatives include "as we originally thought", "as we had anticipated", or "as we predicted at first", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "as I initially expected"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. The phrase can be used with different pronouns to indicate whose initial expectation is being referred to. For example, "As I initially expected, the project faced several delays."

What's the difference between "as we initially expected" and "contrary to our initial expectations"?

"As we initially expected" indicates that the outcome aligned with the initial prediction. "Contrary to our initial expectations" means the outcome was different from what was initially predicted.