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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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confirm to be

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

Sentence The phrase "confirm to be" is not grammatically correct; it should be written as "confirm to be [verb-ed]." For example, "I confirmed the meeting to be at 3pm."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The letter added that McNeil was destroying existing product components that had been shipped on pallets that the company could not confirm to be preservative-free.

News & Media

The New York Times

Most complex decisions require a structured dialogue, which we confirm to be an essential part of value assessment.

Many of these risk factors correlate with higher levels of education, income, and other metrics of socioeconomic status, which census data confirm to be more concentrated among SFBA residents, particularly non-Hispanic white women [ 9].

Inserts from the enriched in vivo cDNA library were screened to confirm to be upregulated by southern blot hybridization which has been used as a confirmatory test in most other SCOTS-based studies [ 72- 76].

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

One pilot was confirmed to be Russian.

News & Media

The New York Times

By November, however, the disease was confirmed to be cancer.

A suspect image was confirmed to be of him.

By then the first suspect was confirmed to be dead.

News & Media

The New York Times

Of those known to have been killed, only one has been confirmed to be a soldier.

News & Media

The New York Times

The ship was confirmed to be en route to the ISS nine minutes after take-off.

News & Media

The Guardian

The effort was worth it, however, and the species was confirmed to be new.

News & Media

The Guardian
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for grammatically sound writing, replace the phrase "confirm to be" with the proper form "confirmed to be" or rephrase the sentence to use alternatives like "verify that it is".

Common error

Avoid using "confirm to be" followed by a base verb. Always use the past participle form (e.g., "confirmed to be") or reconstruct the sentence for grammatical correctness. The Ludwig AI points out the original query is ungrammatical.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "confirm to be" functions as part of an infinitive phrase, often intended to express the action of verifying or establishing something. However, it's grammatically incorrect. Examples in Ludwig show correct usages like "confirmed to be".

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 intention behind the phrase "confirm to be" is to express verification or validation, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI emphasizes this point. The correct form is "confirmed to be", or using alternative phrasing such as "verify that it is". Although found in various contexts, including scientific and news domains, it should be used with caution and corrected for proper grammar in formal writing. This improves clarity and maintains professionalism. The examples provided by Ludwig highlight the proper usage within different contexts.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "confirm" in a sentence?

Ensure "confirm" is followed by a proper verb form. Instead of "confirm to be", use "confirmed to be" or rephrase using alternatives like "verify that it is".

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "confirm to be"?

Opt for phrases like "ascertain that it's", "establish that it is", or "prove that it is" for clearer communication.

Is "confirm to be" grammatically acceptable?

No, "confirm to be" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It should be replaced with "confirmed to be" or rephrased for better clarity.

When should I use "confirmed to be" instead of "confirm to be"?

Always use "confirmed to be" when you want to express that something has been verified or proven. "Confirm to be" is not grammatically correct.

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Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: