can be depending on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "can be depending on" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "can depend on" or "may be depending on" depending on the context. Example: "The outcome of the project can depend on the resources available."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

For example, reading a Kindle book can be – depending on one's preferences settings – a solitary or a communal experience.

The Guardian - Tech

Baryshnikov here is an exaggerated being, suavely dressed and intricately made up so that he can be, depending on movement and expression and lighting and setting, a soigné, a clown, a vampire, a vaudevillian, a surreal character out of Gogol or a paranoid one out of Dostoyevsky.

Los Angeles Times

Eternally obligatory, it can be, depending on the year, festive or harrowing.

The New Yorker

Commissioner Weinshall said the city would like to see Dey Street "reintegrated to the maximum extent it can be," depending on the layout of the permanent PATH terminal.

The New York Times

What figures seen by BBC Newsnight also reveal is how different that experience of speaking out can be, depending on where a victim lives, and the attitude and performance of their local police force.

BBC

For the SEC, while cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ether are not securities, token offerings for stakes in companies that are built off of those blockchains can be, depending on the extent to which third parties are involved in the creation or exchange of value around the assets. .

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Christmas is the one time they can be depended on to return.

The Guardian - Opinion

The fourth question assessed the number of people outside of the family and within one hour of home that can be depended on.

BMC Psychiatry

Karla Wolfangle can be depended on for interestingly oddball dance ideas.

The New York Times - Arts

It can be depended on memory available.

Journal of Big Data

Whether he can be depended on at Euro 2012 remains to be seen.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing conditional dependency, use the grammatically correct phrase "can depend on" instead of the incorrect "can be depending on". For example, "Success can depend on hard work" is correct.

Common error

Avoid inserting the 'be' verb unnecessarily before 'depending on'. The phrase 'depending on' already implies a state of contingency; adding 'be' creates a grammatically awkward construction. Prefer "it can depend on" over "it can be depending on".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "can be depending on" functions as a linking phrase, attempting to express a conditional relationship. However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is grammatically incorrect. The correct usage would be to use either "can depend on" or another suitable alternative.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "can be depending on" is a grammatically incorrect construction used to express conditional dependence. While it appears with some frequency in news, scientific articles, and general writing, Ludwig AI indicates that it should be avoided in favor of grammatically correct alternatives like "can depend on", "may rely on", or "is contingent on". Using these alternatives will improve clarity and credibility, especially in formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

can depend on

Replaces the continuous tense 'depending on' with the simple present 'depend on' for grammatical correctness.

may rely on

Substitutes 'can be' with 'may rely' to provide a more accurate and grammatically sound alternative expressing dependence.

can hinge on

Replaces the entire phrase to indicate that something is determined by a specific factor.

is contingent on

Uses a more formal construction to express conditional dependence.

is subject to

Indicates that something is affected by or conditional on something else.

is conditional upon

Offers a formal and interchangeable way of saying that something depends on something else.

can be determined by

Focuses on the aspect of determination based on other factors, instead of just depending on.

is a function of

Uses mathematical terminology to express that one thing's value is determined by another.

can fluctuate based on

Emphasizes variability and change as a result of different conditions.

can be affected by

Highlights the influence of other factors on the subject.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say something varies based on conditions?

Use "can depend on" or "may vary depending on" to indicate that something changes based on certain conditions. The construction "can be depending on" is generally considered grammatically incorrect.

Is it better to use "depend on" or "depending on"?

"Depend on" is a verb phrase, while "depending on" is a prepositional phrase. For example, "Outcomes can depend on effort." Use "depending on" to introduce a condition: "Depending on the weather, we will go hiking".

What are some formal alternatives to "depending on"?

Formal alternatives include "contingent upon", "subject to", or "conditional upon". These phrases are suitable for academic and professional writing.

How can I rephrase a sentence that uses "can be depending on" to make it grammatically correct?

Replace "can be depending on" with "can depend on". For example, change "The result can be depending on the method used" to "The result can depend on the method used".