collected looking for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "collected looking for" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete thought and lacks context to determine its intended use. Example: "I was collected looking for my lost keys." (This example is still unclear due to the phrase's incorrectness.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Project Aristotle's researchers began searching through the data they had collected, looking for norms.

The New York Times - Magazine

She did so by becoming a highly skilled, pragmatic, and indefatigable administrator who was "very straightforward, always calm, collected, looking for ways to make things happen," Singer says.

Science Magazine

The framework was applied to all the data collected, looking for areas of concordance and also inconsistencies.

BMC Medical Education

Finally, data will be interpreted along the context they were collected, looking for possible influences of researchers in the patients' discourse.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

6.04pm BST Alexander wants to debunk some media reports of "pattern analysis" – the notion that the NSA continuously reviews the metadata it collects, looking for suspicious patterns.

The Guardian

And until more comprehensive data are collected, those looking for the national trends behind each local incident are likely to be frustrated.

The New York Times

After college, he began collecting flatware, looking for silver pieces with handles made of contrasting materials like wood, Bakelite or resin — patterns that are "luxurious, but also very intellectual," he said, "with a simplicity of form but richness of materials".

The New York Times

Firstly, I'd started collecting and looking for some more musical music around 2007.

Huffington Post

Are you going for the cool, calm and collected look or the crafty artist look?

WikiHow

Hyperspectral images in the SWIR of Picasso's The Tragedy (Fig. 5) were collected to look for such effects.

Heritage Science

As part of the examination process, researchers put each patient in a room and then collected air samples, looking for infectious particles.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a search process, consider using more explicit and grammatically sound phrases like "collecting data to look for" or "gathered while searching for" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "collected looking for" without clear context, as it can be misinterpreted. Instead, clarify the relationship between collecting and searching by explicitly stating the purpose of the collection.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "collected looking for" functions as a gerund phrase, describing an action that involves both collecting and searching. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, it lacks clarity and grammatical precision. Its primary grammatical role is to describe a combined activity, but its effectiveness is limited by its awkward construction.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

42%

Wiki

21%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "collected looking for" appears in various contexts, it's grammatically questionable and lacks precision. As Ludwig AI points out, it’s an incomplete thought and not entirely correct. Its function is to describe a combined action of collecting and searching, but its ambiguous construction makes it less effective. For improved clarity, consider using alternatives like "collecting data to find" or "gathering information in search of", especially in formal or academic writing. The phrase primarily occurs in news, scientific and wiki contexts. Because of its grammatical issues, authoritative sources should be preferred.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

collecting to locate

Directly relates the act of collecting to the objective of locating something.

gathering in search of

Emphasizes the act of gathering with a specific search-related purpose.

assembling with the aim of finding

Highlights the purpose-driven assembly of items for a specific search.

accumulating while seeking

Highlights the accumulation process during an active search.

bringing together to find

Emphasizes the unification of elements to facilitate a search.

compiling to discover

Focuses on compiling information with the goal of discovery.

amassing in pursuit of

Implies a large-scale gathering effort aimed at achieving a specific goal.

obtaining in the quest for

Focuses on the acquisition of items as part of a broader quest or search.

procuring while investigating

Highlights the procurement of items during an investigative process.

harvesting in the hope of discovering

Implies a careful and deliberate collection process with the expectation of finding something valuable.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "collected looking for" to improve clarity?

For better clarity, replace "collected looking for" with phrases like "collecting data to find", "gathering information in search of", or "accumulated while seeking" to explicitly state the relationship between collection and search.

Is "collected looking for" grammatically correct in formal writing?

No, "collected looking for" is not grammatically correct in formal writing. It's advisable to use clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives such as "collected in order to find" or "gathered while searching for" in formal contexts.

What are some contexts where I might see "collected looking for" used?

"Collected looking for" might appear in informal contexts or quickly written notes. However, for professional or academic writing, it's better to use alternatives such as "collected with the intent of finding" or "assembled while attempting to locate".

Which is a better phrase, "collected looking for" or "collecting data to look for"?

"Collecting data to look for" is a better phrase because it clearly articulates the action of collecting data with the purpose of searching. "Collected looking for" is less precise and may cause confusion. You could also use alternatives such as "data collected for the purpose of searching".