competent about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'competent about' is not correct and usable in written English.
The correct phrase is 'competent in' or 'competent at' rather than 'competent about'. For example, you could say "I'm competent in mathematics."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

The question is, what would an extremist in the White House be competent about?

The New Yorker

It prompts adjectives – sensible, thoughtful, competent – about which a "but" hovers: faint praise in anticipation of a put-down.

The Guardian - Arts

Clegg says the government needs to be more competent about issues like this.  3.25pm BST Q: In July the Home Office started its "go home" campaign on immigration.

The Guardian

Instead, the goal of an educational system truly devoted to bridging the learning gap must be to nurture our youngest children to become individuals excited about learning and feeling competent about their abilities to engage the environment and learn.

The New York Times

But there is nothing competent about borrowing over £200bn more than planned because of your failure to deliver a recovery that is felt by all working people and not just a few at the top.

The Guardian - Opinion

By setting the tone, Le Pen eluded the policy contest on issues she was less competent about such as the state of the national economy or the euro.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

As long as you're just about competent enough to stick around you can pick up your cash and saunter off to count it, untroubled by thoughts of self-improvement and so forth.

The Guardian - Sport

"The Lady Gambles" (1949), directed by the soon to be blacklisted Michael Gordon, is a smoothly competent problem picture about a reporter's wife who discovers her addiction to games of chance during a visit to an embryonic Las Vegas.

The New York Times

Roughly speaking, the most competent birds averaged about twice as many copulations as the slowest problem-solvers, the researchers report.

Science Magazine

The point is that while maybe, maybe, S&P or Moody's or Fitch know something about corporate debt, they know less than any competent macroeconomist about sovereign debt.

The New York Times

Those candidates who, in the subjects' opinion, looked more "competent" won about seventy per cent of the time.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "competent in" or "competent at" followed by the specific area of expertise. This ensures grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "competent about" as it deviates from standard English grammar. Using the correct prepositions, such as in "competent in" or at "competent at", maintains accuracy and credibility in your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "competent about" functions as an adjective phrase followed by a preposition, aiming to describe someone's level of skill or ability regarding a specific topic. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's not grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

38%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "competent about" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically incorrect. Standard English dictates the use of ""competent in"" or ""competent at"" to accurately convey skill or proficiency. Although found across different registers, including news and scientific articles, opting for grammatically correct alternatives enhances clarity and credibility. It's recommended to prefer ""competent in"" for broad expertise and ""competent at"" for specific skills or tasks.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

competent in

Uses the preposition "in" instead of "about" to indicate the area of competence.

competent at

Uses the preposition "at" instead of "about" to indicate the area of competence.

skilled in

Replaces "competent" with "skilled", maintaining a similar meaning but using a different adjective.

proficient in

Uses "proficient" instead of "competent", indicating a high degree of skill or expertise.

knowledgeable about

Focuses on the aspect of possessing knowledge rather than general competence.

adept at

Replaces "competent" with "adept", suggesting a natural skill or talent.

capable in

Substitutes "competent" with "capable", indicating the ability to do something well.

well-versed in

Emphasizes a thorough understanding and experience in a particular area.

experienced with

Highlights practical experience as the basis for competence.

qualified to

Implies competence derived from formal training or certification.

FAQs

Is "competent about" grammatically correct?

No, "competent about" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct forms are ""competent in"" or ""competent at"".

What's the difference between "competent in" and "competent at"?

While both are grammatically correct, ""competent in"" is generally used for broader areas of expertise (e.g., "competent in data analysis"), and ""competent at"" can be used for specific tasks or skills (e.g., "competent at problem-solving").

What can I say instead of "competent about"?

Use ""competent in"", ""competent at"", or "knowledgeable about" depending on the intended meaning.

How can I use "competent in" in a sentence?

Example: "She is highly "competent in" project management and consistently delivers excellent results."