ascertain timing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ascertain timing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to determine or establish the timing of an event or action. Example: "Before we proceed with the project, we need to ascertain timing to ensure everything is on schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

This makes it difficult to ascertain timing and causality.

BMJ Open

Method 1 was based on the approach used in HPTN 039 [ 22], allowing adherence up to 105 % for each interval, due to imprecision in being able to ascertain timing of last dose with twice-daily dosing.

AIDS and Behavior

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

We have ascertained timing of death from two independent data sources and are confident of the accuracy of the antepartum coding.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Given the difficulty in ascertaining timing of occurrence of maternal disorder, women were classified as having ever (up to child age 7 years) experienced anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or both conditions.

British Journal of Psychiatry

In an attempt to ascertain the timing and strength of apoptosis, a time course transfection study using HEK293T cells was undertaken on all 10 genes, a positive control STS and a mock transfected negative control at 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 hours following transfection.

BMC Genomics

Though in this study we cannot ascertain the timing of infection in cases, but in comparison to controls they definitely had a heightened immune response against EBNA-1.

Plosone

Third, we were unable to ascertain the timing of x-rays in relation to a dialysis run or to dry weight.

BMC Nephrology

Without longitudinal biomarker evidence to ascertain the timing of amyloid deposition, it is uncertain how long amyloid deposits have been present in the brains of individuals with pathological aging.

Alzheimer's Research and Therapy

However, it is impossible to ascertain the timing of either injury or arrest relative to ECLS initiation from the registry, or to be able to speculate whether earlier use of ECLS would have prevented cardiopulmonary arrest in registry patients.

Critical Care

Investigators at the Revel, trying to discover who had taken the video, ascertained its timing by scrutinizing the clip's audio track; while the phone was recording the footage, a general request for chips to be refilled could be heard on the casino intercom.

The New Yorker

Therefore it is essential to ascertain the role timing of introduction of ART plays in the management of patients with MDR-TB and HIV co-infection.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing in scientific or technical contexts, use "ascertain timing" to emphasize the importance of accurately determining when an event occurred, particularly when causality or process understanding depends on precise timing.

Common error

Avoid using "ascertain timing" in casual or everyday conversations. Simpler phrases like "find out when" or "check the time" are more appropriate and natural in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ascertain timing" functions primarily as a verb phrase, where "ascertain" acts as a transitive verb requiring an object ("timing"). As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct. It describes the act of discovering or establishing when something occurs.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "ascertain timing" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe the act of determining when something occurs. According to Ludwig AI, it is usable in written English. While somewhat formal, it is particularly appropriate in scientific and technical contexts where precision is important. Alternatives like "determine the timing" or "establish the timing" can be used, but be mindful of the level of formality required by the context. This analysis highlights the phrase's usage, common errors, and offers guidance for effective use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

determine the timing

Direct synonym replacing "ascertain" with "determine".

determine the moment

Direct synonym replacing "ascertain" with "determine" and replacing "timing" with "moment".

establish the timing

Replaces "ascertain" with "establish", emphasizing setting a specific time.

identify the timing

Focuses on pinpointing when something happens.

establish when

Replaces "ascertain" with "establish" and simplifies "timing" to "when".

figure out the timing

More informal alternative using "figure out".

discover when

Simplifies the phrase, focusing on discovering the time.

find out the time

A common, less formal way to ask about timing.

pinpoint the moment

Emphasizes a specific point in time.

ascertain the date

Focuses specifically on the date, rather than general timing.

FAQs

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

"Ascertain timing" is used to describe the action of finding out when something happened or will happen. For example, "The investigators tried to ascertain the timing of the incident by reviewing security footage."

What's a simpler way to express "ascertain timing"?

You can use alternatives like "determine the timing", "establish the timing", or simply "find out when" depending on the context.

Is it always necessary to use such a formal phrase as "ascertain timing"?

No, the formality of "ascertain timing" might not always be necessary. In many everyday situations, simpler phrases like "check the time" or "find out when" are perfectly acceptable and more natural.

What is the difference between "ascertain timing" and "determine timing"?

While very similar, "ascertain timing" carries a slightly more formal and precise connotation than "determine timing". "Ascertain" implies a careful and thorough investigation to establish the exact timing.