can not be determined

USAGE SUMMARY

"can not be determined" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is often used to indicate that something cannot be known or decided with certainty. Example: The cause of the fire could not be determined by the investigators.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

For exonic read, the strand can not be determined (a "." is assigned ).

Columbia University

In many instances the structures have been so savagely bulldozed that their original shape can not be determined.

Harvard University

This paper considers structural reliability assessment when statistical parameters of distribution functions can not be determined precisely due to epistemic uncertainty.

Structural Safety

The results obtained by the present method were compared and showed good agreements with those obtained by the theories and/or by the FEM analyses except for the sharp corner points of the triangular inclusions where the outside normal vectors can not be determined uniquely and thus the stress becomes singular.

Materials Science and Engineering: A

(f) The configuration of the stereobond can not be determined.

Journal of Cheminformatics

(g) The configuration of the stereocenter can not be determined.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Even the number and locations of magnetic poles can not be determined in general.

Earth, Planets and Space

The higher concentration can not be determined by these techniques due to several dilution factors.

Chemistry Central Journal

A limitation in this concern is the fact that the origin of that soil water can not be determined.

Forest Ecosystems

However, S s can not be determined in case 4, i.e., in normalized loading curves by Heath et al. (1990).

Applied Water Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

These so-called galvanic distortions can often not be determined adequately to remove their effect in a direct manner.

Earth, Planets and Space

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid overuse in close proximity. If repeatedly stating that things "can not be determined", consider alternative phrasings to maintain reader engagement.

Common error

Avoid using "can not be determined" when a degree of estimation or approximation is possible. Instead, acknowledge uncertainty while providing the available range or likelihood.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "can not be determined" functions as a modal construction expressing an inability to ascertain or establish something definitively. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and commonly used. The examples show that it's often used to acknowledge limitations in knowledge or methodology.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

64%

Academia

10%

News & Media

7%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "can not be determined" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for expressing an inability to ascertain something. As Ludwig AI points out, it's suitable across a variety of contexts, primarily appearing in scientific and academic writing to acknowledge limitations or uncertainties. When using the phrase, clarity and supporting context are crucial, and writers should consider alternative phrasings to avoid repetition. While versatile, "can not be determined" is best employed when absolute certainty is genuinely unattainable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is impossible to determine

Emphasizes the impossibility aspect more strongly.

cannot be ascertained

Replaces "determined" with a synonym that emphasizes the difficulty in finding something out.

cannot be established

Substitutes "determined" with a synonym that highlights the lack of confirmation or proof.

cannot be identified

Focuses on the inability to recognize or pinpoint something specifically.

cannot be concluded

Emphasizes the impossibility of reaching a definitive decision or judgment.

cannot be verified

Highlights the lack of validation or confirmation for something.

remains unknown

Shifts from an active to a passive construction, emphasizing the state of being unknown.

cannot be deciphered

Highlights the inability to understand or interpret something.

lies beyond determination

More emphatic and formal way to say that something cannot be determined.

is not possible to know

Simplifies the phrase to emphasize a lack of knowledge.

FAQs

What does "can not be determined" mean?

The phrase "can not be determined" means that it's impossible to find something out, decide an outcome, or establish something with certainty based on the available information or methods.

How can I use "can not be determined" in a sentence?

You can use "can not be determined" to indicate that something is unknowable or impossible to establish. For example: "The exact cause of the malfunction "can not be determined" without further investigation."

What are some alternatives to saying "can not be determined"?

Some alternatives include phrases like "cannot be ascertained", "cannot be established", or "remains unknown", depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "can not be determined"?

It is appropriate to use "can not be determined" when the information needed to reach a conclusion or establish a fact is genuinely unavailable or impossible to obtain through current methods.