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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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capable to affect

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "capable to affect" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression would be "capable of affecting." Example: "The new policy is capable of affecting the overall performance of the team."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

High Frequency Trading is a shadow and shady economy with so much power capable to affect our everyday, although maybe the effects are not immediate... the production of Pirated media can act as an anti-economy and contribute to the panti-economy andetricontributen of properto".

News & Media

Vice

These data demonstrate that daily oral exposure to L. casei in a naive host is not capable to affect the potential of natural CD4+ CD25+ Treg of lymphoid organs to suppress a CHS response.

Science

Plosone

Thus, pretreatment with midazolam is capable to affect cell characteristics even followed by exposure to high TMZ concentrations.

These results demonstrate that siRNAs are capable to affect the in vitro angiogenic process by downregulating COX-2 expression in a strong specific manner.

In particular, the authors showed that the microbial colonization initiates signaling mechanisms capable to affect neuronal circuits involved in motor control and anxiety control.

However, the complexity of cytokine kinetics in critically ill patients and the variety of factors capable to affect circulating cytokines even in a subgroup of critically ill patients may affect the valitidy of the results.

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Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The authors reported that snow vole activity was capable to significantly affect the humification process and SOM cycling, with effects on the hormone-like bioactivity of humic fractions.

In addition, essential and non-essential amino acids appear to have different roles in regulating longevity, the former being capable to negatively affect longevity, while the latter does not.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Wednesday struggled to decide whether it was capable of doing anything to affect the outcome of a custody dispute before the Sheriff Court in Airdrie, Scotland.

News & Media

The New York Times

Based on the above analysis and further interrogation of the literature, it was possible to highlight the strongest candidates for further analysis: IFI16 is known to bind p53 (17), which in turn is capable of binding the GR to affect its activity.

Apple has published a temporary workaround for iOS users affected by the bug, which was found to affect iPhones earlier in the week, and subsequently revealed to be capable of affecting the Apple Watch, iPads and Macs.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "capable of affecting" instead of "capable to affect". The correct preposition after 'capable' in this context is 'of', followed by the gerund form of the verb.

Common error

Avoid the common mistake of using "to" after "capable" when it should be "of". Remember that "capable" requires the preposition "of" when followed by a verb expressing an action or process.

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

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

82%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "capable to affect" functions as an adjectival phrase followed by an infinitive, attempting to describe a quality or potential of something. However, it is grammatically incorrect, according to Ludwig, as the correct form is "capable of affecting."

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "capable to affect" is an incorrect form. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct phrasing is "capable of affecting". While the examples show it appears in contexts such as science and news, its grammatical inaccuracy lowers its overall quality and appropriateness for formal writing. Alternatives like "able to affect" or "capable of affecting" should be used instead to maintain grammatical correctness and clarity. Always remember to use "of" after "capable" followed by the gerund form of the verb to ensure accurate and effective communication.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "capable to affect"?

No, the grammatically correct phrase is "capable of affecting". The preposition "of" should be used before the gerund form of the verb.

What is a good alternative to "capable to affect"?

A suitable alternative is "able to affect", which is more common and grammatically sound.

How can I use "capable of affecting" in a sentence?

You can use "capable of affecting" to describe something that has the ability to influence or change something else. For example, "The new policy is capable of affecting employee morale."

What's the difference between "able to affect" and "capable of affecting"?

While both phrases convey the ability to influence something, "able to affect" is generally considered more straightforward and common, while "capable of affecting" may suggest a higher degree of potential or inherent ability.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: