certainly are

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "certainly are" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to affirm or emphasize a statement, often in response to a question or assertion. Example: "The results of the experiment certainly are impressive and exceed our expectations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Popular they certainly are.

The New York Times

These penalties certainly are.

The New Yorker

They certainly are.

The New York Times

There certainly are.

The New York Times

Some certainly are.

The New York Times

They certainly are diverse.

Independent

We certainly are.

Forbes

Clogged they certainly are.

The Economist

BRAUN: There certainly are.

Harvard University

Employers certainly are.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

I certainly was not.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "certainly are" to affirm a statement or to express strong agreement with a preceding remark. It's suitable in both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "certainly are" excessively in a single piece of writing. Vary your language with alternatives like "definitely", "undoubtedly", or "assuredly" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "certainly are" functions as an emphatic affirmative response, typically used to express strong agreement or confirmation. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "certainly are" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to express strong affirmation or agreement. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across various contexts. It is commonly found in news and media, as well as academic writing. When writing, be mindful of overusing it and consider varying your language with synonyms like "definitely are" or "undoubtedly are" to maintain reader engagement. The phrase serves to emphasize agreement or confirmation with a preceding statement or question.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

definitely are

Replaces "certainly" with "definitely", indicating a strong affirmation.

undoubtedly are

Uses "undoubtedly" to emphasize the lack of doubt.

assuredly are

Employs "assuredly" to convey confidence and certainty.

absolutely are

Substitutes "certainly" with "absolutely" for emphatic agreement.

indeed are

Uses "indeed" to confirm and emphasize the statement.

surely are

Replaces "certainly" with "surely", suggesting a confident expectation.

unquestionably are

Substitutes "certainly" with "unquestionably" to remove any doubt.

of course they are

Adds "of course" to indicate that something is obvious or expected.

without a doubt, they are

Expresses certainty by stating that there is no reason to doubt something.

positively are

Uses "positively" to reinforce the affirmation with a strong positive connotation.

FAQs

How to use "certainly are" in a sentence?

"Certainly are" is used to strongly affirm something. For example, in response to the question 'Are they qualified?', you might say, 'They "certainly are"'.

What can I say instead of "certainly are"?

You can use alternatives like "definitely are", "undoubtedly are", or "absolutely are" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "certainly are" or "are certainly"?

"Certainly are" is typically used for emphasis in short affirmative responses. "Are certainly" is more common within a longer sentence, such as 'They are certainly qualified for the job'.

What's the difference between "certainly are" and "probably are"?

"Certainly are" expresses a high degree of confidence and assurance, while "probably are" indicates a likelihood or possibility but with less certainty.