competent of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "competent of" is not correct and should not be used in written English.
The correct phrase is "competent at" or "competent in." For example, "The engineer is competent at troubleshooting complex machines".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

High speed rail is an important competent of Australia's infrastructure future.

The Guardian - Opinion

Women are adult human beings who are perfectly competent of deciding what happens to their bodies.

The Guardian - Opinion

As late as 1991, Mamet maintained that it was "the most structurally competent" of his plays.

The New Yorker

Also an Assessment Experience Questionnaire (AEQ) that is competent of measuring students' learning response has been presented.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Not surprisingly, they tend to finance the most competent of the researchers, which poses a conundrum for the science editor, Laura Chang.

The New York Times

His supporters say that Mr. Lee, who would be the country's first president from the corporate world, should not be judged by another era's ethical standards and that he remains the most competent of candidates.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

CrMPK3/CrMPK3 K69R in binary construct were used for transformation of competent cells of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain GV3101.

BMC Plant Biology

The competency of chemically competent AQ3625 cells was lower than that of competent DH5α cells, in all cases of chemically competent cell preparations using the three different methods.

Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports

Make them appear to their manager as the competent ruler of their part of the kingdom.

Forbes

The standard required is that of any other competent member of the trade in question.

The Guardian - Money

The biological role of AI-2 competent strains of C. jejuni is still unclear.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "competent at" or "competent in" instead of "competent of". For example, say "She is competent in data analysis" or "He is competent at project management".

Common error

Avoid using "of" after "competent". The correct prepositions are "at" for skills and activities, and "in" for areas of knowledge or expertise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "competent of" functions as an adjective phrase intended to describe someone's ability or skill. However, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig indicates that the correct usage involves prepositions like "at" or "in" instead of "of".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "competent of" is commonly found, but grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct usage is "competent at" or "competent in". While the intention is to express someone's ability or skill, using the wrong preposition undermines the clarity and professionalism of your writing. Remember to replace "competent of" with phrases like "capable of", "skilled at", or "proficient in" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

capable of

Replaces "competent" with "capable", maintaining the meaning of having the ability or skill to do something.

skilled at

Shifts the preposition from "of" to "at", which is grammatically correct when describing skill in a particular area.

proficient in

Uses "proficient" as a synonym for "competent", paired with the correct preposition "in".

adept at

Similar to "skilled at", "adept at" emphasizes a high level of skill and is grammatically sound.

qualified for

Indicates that someone has the necessary qualifications or training for a task.

experienced in

Highlights practical experience as the basis for competence.

well-versed in

Implies a thorough knowledge and understanding of a subject.

masterful at

Suggests a very high level of competence, approaching mastery.

accomplished in

Similar to proficient but emphasizes a sense of achievement and developed skill.

effective at

Focuses on the ability to produce a desired result, linking competence to practical outcomes.

FAQs

What prepositions should I use with "competent"?

Use "competent at" for skills or activities, and "competent in" for areas of knowledge. For instance, you might be "competent at" coding or "competent in" financial analysis.

Is it grammatically correct to say "competent of"?

No, the phrase "competent of" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. The correct options are "competent at" or "competent in".

What are some alternatives to "competent of" that I can use?

Instead of "competent of", you can use phrases like "capable of", "skilled at", or "proficient in", depending on the specific context.

How does using the wrong preposition with "competent" affect my writing?

Using "competent of" instead of "competent at" or "competent in" can make your writing sound unpolished and may confuse readers, as it deviates from standard English usage.