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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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but better usable

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "but better usable" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an attempt to convey that something is more usable than another option, but the phrasing is awkward. Example: "This software is more efficient, but better usable than the previous version."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery

The New York Times

The Economist

Forbes

TechCrunch

Huffington Post

The New York Times - Magazine

Unicef

The Guardian

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

eLife

Forbes

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This view is in marked contrast to the evaluation of the anatomy as described in the literature, but better usable in clinical practice.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But better?

News & Media

The New York Times

Don't imagine that complexity, chaos theory, agent-based modelling or some other fad narrative will deliver better, more usable predictions than those failed economic methods we are still teaching our university students.The truth is that selling a precise prediction to an anxious investor is like offering water to a parched explorer lost in the Sahara desert.

News & Media

The Economist

They are not just a resource to get data, they are thought partners to make the solution better and usable.

News & Media

Forbes

After the DAO hack, founder Adam Perlow wanted to focus on making Bitcoin better, more usable and useful.

News & Media

TechCrunch

This forces you to create better, more usable products, and not simply build your business on aggressive and costly marketing and sales.

News & Media

TechCrunch

Third, there is a need for better, more usable evidence related to the effectiveness, the implementation at scale, and the economics of prevention interventions.

News & Media

Huffington Post

Landis is better at describing a different sort of ache: the uncertainty of deciding when and how to swap out a painful-but-still-usable body part.

In the end, Google may have decided that providing a restricted version of Google Search and a slow but usable Gmail to Chinese users is much better than being completely cut off.

News & Media

TechCrunch

The semen sample was badly degraded, but still usable.

The text and graphics are a little smaller, but perfectly usable.

Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity, replace the awkward phrase "but better usable" with simpler alternatives such as "more user-friendly" or "easier to use".

Common error

Do not combine "but" and "better" in this way. It's grammatically unconventional and can confuse readers. Instead, opt for more straightforward phrasing, such as "more practical" or "more usable".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

83%

Authority and reliability

2.2/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but better usable" attempts to function as a comparative adjective phrase, aiming to express that something is not only usable but superior in its usability. However, as Ludwig AI explains, this construction is grammatically awkward and lacks clarity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "but better usable" is grammatically awkward and rarely used. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's not considered correct in standard written English. While the intention is to convey improved usability, clearer alternatives like "more user-friendly", "more practical", or simply "more usable" are recommended. Despite its occasional appearance in news and media sources, its awkwardness makes it unsuitable for formal or professional contexts. For clearer and more effective communication, simpler and more grammatically sound alternatives should be preferred.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically sound alternative to "but better usable"?

Instead of "but better usable", you can use phrases like "more user-friendly", "easier to use", or "more practical" to convey improved usability in a grammatically correct way.

How can I use "more usable" correctly in a sentence?

Use "more usable" to describe something that has improved in terms of usability compared to something else. For example: "The new software version is "more usable" than the previous one."

Is "but better used" interchangeable with "but better usable"?

No, "but better used" and "but better usable" are not interchangeable. "But better used" implies improved application or exploitation of something, whereas "but better usable" (though grammatically awkward) intends to convey improved ease of use or practicality.

Why is the phrase "but better usable" considered grammatically incorrect?

The construction "but better usable" is redundant and stylistically awkward. The word "better" already implies a comparison, and the addition of "but" doesn't logically enhance the meaning. It's clearer to simply state something is "more usable" or more practical.

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Source & Trust

83%

Authority and reliability

2.2/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: