clarification were sought

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "clarification were sought" is not correct in standard written English.
It should be "clarifications were sought" to be grammatically accurate. Example: "During the meeting, clarifications were sought regarding the new policy changes."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Points of clarification were sought where drawings were unclear, and discussion was encouraged.

New Zealand Journal of Forestry Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

That clarification was sought by both the United States and Britain to avoid any interference in the continuing American military campaign.

The New York Times

Lib Dem negotiator David Laws said the party had agreed Mr Clegg would also continue to listen to representations from Labour while clarification was sought about the offer from the Tories.

Independent

Where the patient's eligibility for inclusion in the relevant cohort was unclear, clarification was sought from the investigators.

Annals of Intensive Care

Further clarification was sought from the corresponding educational officials, ECE scholars, or experienced educators whenever confusion or misconception in analyzing the official documents was encountered.

International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy

A second limitation is that the account, in describing the possible outcomes as equally likely, implicitly appeals to the very probability notion for which clarification was sought.

SEP

Handedness in school children was judged by asking the child, as part of a standard assessment protocol, 'are you right- or left-handed?' The writing hand was specified if clarification was sought.

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

In case of lack of clarity, immediate clarification was sought.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Clarification was sought from CHWs, clinic staff or household members if required.

BMC Health Services Research

Clarification was sought from study investigators for both international and local documents when methodology or results were unclear.

BMC Public Health

In addition, telephone interviews were also undertaken when further clarification was sought on data collected face-to-face.

Global Health Action

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always ensure subject-verb agreement. In this case, use the plural noun "clarifications" with the plural verb "were".

Common error

Avoid using singular nouns with plural verbs. Saying "clarification were sought" is grammatically incorrect; instead, use the plural form: "clarifications were sought".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "clarification were sought" functions as a passive voice construction where the action of seeking clarification is emphasized. However, it's grammatically incorrect due to subject-verb disagreement, as Ludwig AI highlights.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "clarification were sought" aims to convey that attempts were made to gain clarity, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "clarifications were sought", ensuring subject-verb agreement. Ludwig AI identifies this grammatical error. Though occasionally found in news and scientific articles, it's essential to use the plural form for grammatical accuracy in formal writing. Alternative phrases such as "explanations were requested" or "more information was sought" can also be used depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

clarifications were requested

Pluralizes "clarification" to correct the grammatical error.

explanations were requested

Replaces "clarification" with "explanations" for a slightly broader meaning.

further details were requested

Focuses on seeking more specific information.

more information was sought

Shifts the focus to seeking additional information in general.

elucidation was requested

Uses a more formal term, "elucidation", for clarification.

details were sought

A shorter, more direct way of saying information was requested.

further information was being sought

Emphasizes the ongoing nature of the information-gathering process.

insights were being requested

Highlights requesting understanding or deeper comprehension.

more clarity was requested

Replaces "clarification" with the noun phrase "more clarity".

an explanation was requested

Requests a single, specific explanation.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "clarification were sought"?

The grammatically correct phrasing is "clarifications were sought". The singular form "clarification" requires a singular verb.

When should I use "clarifications were sought"?

Use "clarifications were sought" when you are indicating that multiple points needed to be made clearer, and someone actively tried to obtain that clarity.

What can I say instead of "clarification were sought"?

You can use alternatives like "explanations were requested", "more information was sought", or "further details were requested" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "clarification was sought" and "clarifications were sought"?

"Clarification was sought" implies a single point needed to be clarified, while "clarifications were sought" indicates multiple points needed clarifying.