ascertain the issue

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ascertain the issue" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to determine or find out what the problem or concern is in a particular situation. Example: "Before we proceed with the project, we need to ascertain the issue that has been causing delays."

✓ Grammatically correct

Law

Research

News reporting

General writing

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"Lawyers are taught in law school from the first day, one, ascertain the issue and, two, address it.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Therefore, retrospective and long-term prospective studies of the subset of human population are needed to ascertain the issues discussed.

Plosone

Further to this, Carers WA wanted to ascertain the issues and concerns amongst GPs and specialists regarding family or unpaid caregivers.

BMC Family Practice

The White House was correct in commenting that Ahmed's "teachers have failed" by not taking steps to protect Ahmed's rights and ascertaining the issue at hand.

University of California, Berkeley

Each year they interviewed community leaders, talked with community groups, heard all the community's complaints and "ascertained" the issues -- hopes and dreams -- that the community most cared about.

Huffington Post

It is only recently that a handful of studies in China have sought to provide some understanding of the issue by trying to ascertain the number of complaints in the studied hospitals or garnering patient feedback via questionnaires and interviews.

BMJ Open

We initially surveyed a sample of twelve business managers and executives to ascertain the key issues currently facing their organisations.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Look on the title to ascertain the miles at issue date.

WikiHow

The Metropolitan police is currently mapping the problem in an attempt to ascertain the scale of the issue and identify "hotspots" of abuse.

The Guardian

This meant that it was not possible to ascertain how the issue of tariff ceilings was resolved within the GATT or how the harmonised excise structure agreed by the CACM vice-ministers of finance in September 1995 progressed.

Globalization and Health

This can then be used alongside the aspirations and grand challenges the country has identified to ascertain the scale of the issues that the country faces.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ascertain the issue", ensure the context provides enough information about the situation to understand what needs to be determined. Be specific in subsequent sentences.

Common error

While grammatically correct, using "ascertain the issue" in casual conversation can sound overly formal. Opt for simpler alternatives like "find out what's wrong" or "figure out the problem" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ascertain the issue" functions as a verb phrase where "ascertain" is the verb and "the issue" is the direct object. It describes the action of finding something out definitively. Ludwig indicates that it is a grammatically correct phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ascertain the issue" is used to describe the process of determining or finding out the specific problem or concern within a given context. As Ludwig AI suggests, it's grammatically correct and most appropriate for neutral to formal situations, like in professional, scientific, or academic settings. While it effectively conveys the need for clarity, remember that simpler alternatives may be more suitable for informal conversations. When using "ascertain the issue", be clear and specific about the issue at hand for better communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

identify the problem

Focuses on the act of recognizing the specific issue.

determine the matter

Emphasizes resolving uncertainty about the subject at hand.

investigate the concern

Highlights a more in-depth examination of a worrying issue.

clarify the situation

Suggests making the issue more understandable and transparent.

understand the problem

Focuses on gaining a comprehensive grasp of the issue.

diagnose the situation

Implies a careful analysis to identify the root cause, similar to medical diagnosis.

pinpoint the difficulty

Highlights the act of precisely locating the source of trouble.

uncover the truth

Emphasizes finding the underlying facts of the issue.

get to the bottom of

An idiomatic expression for discovering the real cause of a problem.

resolve the matter

Focuses on fixing or settling the issue.

FAQs

What does "ascertain the issue" mean?

The phrase "ascertain the issue" means to discover, determine, or find out precisely what the problem or subject of concern is.

How can I use "ascertain the issue" in a sentence?

You can use "ascertain the issue" when you need to determine the key problem. For example: "Before proceeding, we must "ascertain the issue" causing the delays."

What are some alternatives to "ascertain the issue"?

Alternatives to "ascertain the issue" include "identify the problem", "determine the matter", or "investigate the concern".

Is "ascertain the issue" formal or informal?

"Ascertain the issue" tends to be more formal. In informal contexts, simpler phrases like "find out what's wrong" might be more appropriate.