clarification was needed

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence 'clarification was needed' is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use this sentence whenever you need to explain that further explanation or understanding was required on an issue. For example, "After the explanation of the company's new policies, clarification was needed for the employees who still had questions about the changes."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Additional system and subsystem level assumptions were added where clarification was needed.

Acta Astronautica

— NAILA-JEAN MEYERS Clarification was needed when Oprah asked him the financial toll of his demise.

The New York Times

The committee heard that some clarification was needed to determine what a "journalist" was in the light of citizen journalism and social media.

The Guardian

"It came to light in September that this is a somewhat misunderstood aspect of the law and that further clarification was needed.

The Guardian

The first barrier was a technical one - clarification was needed over whether all the towns in the world were eligible for inclusion, and quite whether the presence of a cathedral denoted a city (yes they were and no it doesn't).

The Guardian - Music

O'Hara later boasted that he wrote most of them in just a single sitting, and at The New Yorker he became famous for refusing to revise them afterward if the editors thought some clarification was needed.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Hence, clarification is needed.

Environmental Impact Assessment Review

Please contact the Disability Services staff if further clarification is needed.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Clarification is needed on the influence of precipitation and anthropogenic factors on streamflow decline in Beijing.

Journal of Hydrology

Great article, except that clarification is needed regarding (potential) side-effects.

Harvard University

We are still being told more clarification is needed about the warranty.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "clarification was needed" when you want to express that something was not fully understood and required further explanation to achieve a clearer understanding.

Common error

Avoid pairing "clarification was needed" with redundant expressions like "it was necessary to clarify", as this creates unnecessary repetition. Choose one or the other for conciseness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "clarification was needed" functions as a statement indicating a requirement for further explanation or understanding. It's often used in passive voice to highlight the necessity of clarification rather than who needed it, aligning with Ludwig's analysis.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "clarification was needed" is a grammatically correct and understandable phrase used to indicate that further explanation or understanding was required. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usage. It's commonly found in scientific and news contexts and can be replaced with alternatives like "elaboration was needed" or "clarity was needed" for variety. When using this phrase, be concise and avoid redundant expressions. This expression is useful when you want to show that something was required for achieving better understanding and explanation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

clarity was needed

Emphasizes the lack of clear understanding.

clarification was required

Uses a synonym for "needed", providing a slightly more formal tone.

more clarity was needed

Adds emphasis to the existing lack of clarity.

clarification was necessary

Replaces "needed" with a stronger term, indicating a more critical requirement.

elaboration was needed

Replaces "clarification" with "elaboration", emphasizing the need for more detailed information.

clarification would be necessary

Shifts the perspective to a future need for clarification.

information was needed

Focuses on the requirement of additional data or facts, rather than just clearer explanation.

clarification was desired

Indicates that clarification was preferred or wanted, but not necessarily essential.

detail was needed

Highlights the lack of specific information, suggesting that more granular details were necessary.

precision was needed

Highlights the need for accurate and exact definition.

FAQs

How can I use "clarification was needed" in a sentence?

You can use "clarification was needed" to indicate that something wasn't clear and required further explanation, such as: "After the presentation, "clarification was needed" on the new policy."

What can I say instead of "clarification was needed"?

You can use alternatives like "elaboration was needed", "clarity was needed", or "information was needed" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "clarification is needed" instead of "clarification was needed"?

Yes, both are grammatically correct, but they refer to different timeframes. "Clarification is needed" indicates a present or ongoing need, while ""clarification was needed"" refers to a past requirement.

What's the difference between "clarification was needed" and "more clarity was needed"?

While both phrases convey a similar meaning, ""clarification was needed"" implies a general need for explanation, while "more clarity was needed" suggests that some level of understanding was present but insufficient.