as we were able

USAGE SUMMARY

"as we were able" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It is usually used to indicate that an action was done to the best of one's abilities even if it wasn't successful. For example, "We tried to finish the project as we were able, but we ran out of time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This was not an issue, however, as we were able to find matching motors.

Cornell University

"The post was removed in error and restored as soon as we were able to investigate.

The Guardian - Tech

"The desire by the business community was to play an active role and shape it as we were able".

The New York Times

The flex sensor stayed sturdily in the box, as we were able to solder the wire through the holes in the box, and the sensor remained suspended.

Cornell University

During testing and demoing, moving away from the interfering magnetic field seemed to help quite a bit, as we were able to accurately move to a set waypoint.

Cornell University

The annotations and clustering of contract provisions on OpenLandContracts.org is very helpful, as we were able to focus on clusters relevant to communities, including environmental provisions.

Columbia University

"As we were able to buy furniture, I threw most of mine away or gave it away, thinking it was much inferior to what we bought".

The New York Times

"With as much silence as we were able to put in, when music actually came in, it was way more powerful".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"I always thought it was our country and we would look after it as good or as bad as we were able.

The Guardian - Books

"We got very high levels of engagement here as we were able to tell stories as they happened," says head of digital, Sally O'Connell.

The Guardian

And as we were able to bathe only infrequently our basic aroma became that of grownup, dusty, sweaty babies: the summertime smell of Mongols, in other words.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as we were able" to clearly communicate limitations or the context of an action performed, ensuring transparency and managing expectations effectively.

Common error

Avoid using "as we were able" excessively in a single piece of writing. Vary your phrasing to maintain reader engagement and prevent monotony. Consider alternatives like "to the best of our ability" or "within our capabilities".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as we were able" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate the extent or limit of an action performed. Ludwig AI confirms its proper use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Academia

30%

Science

28%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "as we were able" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression that conveys the extent of one's ability when performing an action. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and versatile application across diverse sources, including news media, academic papers, and scientific publications. While "as we were able" is a valid and useful phrase, varying your language with alternatives like "to the best of our ability" or "to the extent that we could" can enhance your writing style. Remember to use it judiciously to avoid overuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to the best of our ability

Emphasizes maximum effort within limitations.

to the extent that we could

Highlights the limitations faced while performing an action.

as much as we could

Focuses on the quantity or degree of effort exerted.

within our capabilities

Indicates actions were performed within known skill sets.

to our utmost

Suggests a very high level of effort and dedication.

as far as possible

Implies an attempt to reach an ultimate limit or goal.

to the degree possible for us

Specifies that the degree of achievement was limited by the group's abilities.

considering our limitations

Acknowledges restrictions while acting.

given our resources

Highlights the available resources as a determining factor in actions.

subject to our constraints

Emphasizes the restrictive factors influencing what could be achieved.

FAQs

How can I use "as we were able" in a sentence?

You can use "as we were able" to indicate the extent of your abilities when performing a task. For example, "We completed the project "as we were able", despite facing several unexpected challenges."

What's a more formal alternative to "as we were able"?

A more formal alternative could be "to the best of our ability" or "within the scope of our capabilities". For example, "We addressed the issue "to the best of our ability"."

Is it correct to say "as we were able to" or should I use a different construction?

The phrase "as we were able to" is grammatically correct and commonly used. However, you could also use phrases like "to the extent that we could" or "as much as we could" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "as we were able" and "as we could"?

"As we were able" explicitly refers to the capacity or ability to do something, whereas "as we could" is more general and refers to the degree or extent. For example, "We helped "as much as we could"" emphasizes effort, while "We finished the task "as we were able"" emphasizes capability.