ascertain date

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ascertain date" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you need to determine or find out a specific date related to an event or situation. Example: "Please ascertain the date of the meeting so that we can finalize our plans."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

The Medical Informatics database was also queried to ascertain date of death.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

California and national mortality files were used to ascertain date and cause of death.

British Journal of Cancer

Mortality files, as well as reports from relatives, are used to ascertain date and cause of death.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

The remaining 111,033 patients were identified using the NHS number on the hospital data warehouse to ascertain date of death and co-morbidity.

BMC Nephrology

Linkage to the death registry allowed us to achieve virtually complete follow-up with regard to vital status and to ascertain date of death as well as cause of death up to Dec 31 , 2010

BMC Cancer

Because we were unable to ascertain date of death for patients referred to palliative care facilities, we analysed survival as the time to the combined endpoint of date of death or transfer to the palliative care facility.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

We used diagnostic codes to ascertain dates of first-incident hospital admissions for cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, and fractures.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

The school calendar was used to ascertain dates that would have high absenteeism because of teacher planning days, early release days, holidays, and other events.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

All schizophrenia-spectrum cases were also searched for on the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to ascertain dates of death where applicable.

BMC Psychiatry

The inability to ascertain dates of risky behaviors and HIV seroconvertion made it impossible to assess HIV transmission dynamics in this study, and provides a rationale for future longitudinal studies.

BMC Public Health

To ascertain dates of diagnosis of prostate cancer incidence and prostate cancer as a cause of deaths in these three cohorts, we linked the background register to the CER 60/70 proper, matching on all variables that both these datasets had in common.

British Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing formally, consider using "ascertain date" when you need to emphasize the importance of determining a specific date with certainty and accuracy. This is particularly useful in scientific, legal, or historical contexts where precision is essential.

Common error

Avoid using "ascertain date" in casual conversations or informal writing. Simpler alternatives like "find out the date" or "determine the date" are more appropriate for everyday situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ascertain date" functions as a verb phrase where "ascertain" acts as a transitive verb requiring a direct object, which in this case is "date". Ludwig examples confirm this usage, showing it employed to actively seek out a specific date.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

12%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

6%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ascertain date" is a grammatically sound construction used to denote the act of establishing or determining a date, often with an emphasis on precision and accuracy. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in English. While the usage leans towards formal contexts, particularly within the realm of scientific literature, simpler alternatives are more appropriate for informal settings. The phrase appears most frequently in science-related content, with less frequent appearances in news and media, and wiki sources. When writing, it is best to reserve "ascertain date" for situations where the determination of a specific date is critical, ensuring both clarity and formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

determine the date

Replaces "ascertain" with a more common synonym, making the phrase slightly less formal.

establish the date

Similar to "determine the date", but implies a higher degree of certainty and official confirmation.

find out the date

An informal alternative that is suitable for everyday conversation.

discover the date

Suggests uncovering the date, which may have been previously unknown or hidden.

verify the date

Emphasizes the need to confirm the accuracy of the date.

confirm the date

Similar to "verify the date", but implies a need to check against an existing record or information.

identify the date

Focuses on recognizing or pinpointing the specific date from a range of possibilities.

uncover the date

Similar to "discover the date", but may suggest more effort or investigation was required.

pinpoint the date

Implies finding the date with precision and accuracy.

figure out the date

An informal alternative that suggests solving a problem or puzzle to find the date.

FAQs

How can I use "ascertain date" in a sentence?

You can use "ascertain date" in a sentence like, "The historian needed to ascertain the date of the artifact's creation" or "The investigators worked diligently to ascertain the date of the incident."

What are some alternatives to "ascertain date"?

Alternatives to "ascertain date" include "determine the date", "establish the date", or "find out the date", depending on the level of formality required.

Is "ascertain date" appropriate for informal writing?

While grammatically correct, "ascertain date" is more suited for formal or technical writing. In informal contexts, it's better to use simpler phrases like "find out the date".

What's the difference between "ascertain date" and "determine date"?

"Ascertain date" implies a more thorough or formal investigation to establish the date, whereas "determine date" is a more general and less formal way to express the same idea.