could gather that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "could gather that" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to indicate that you have inferred or deduced something from the information provided. Example: "From her tone and body language, I could gather that she was not pleased with the decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"I created the video with various materials," Thockler tells The Creators Project, "in fact, everything I could gather that was interesting to shoot with minimal light, like glass cups, vases, glass cubes, even kitchen accessories!

Vice

In fact, judging from some of the styles of his songs when he's not making jokes about food one could gather that "Weird Al" is likely a fan of and was influenced by of any or all of the following: The Stooges, Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Devo, Talking Heads, The Residents, Oingo Boingo, and of course Nirvana.

Vice

As is the case with me, we could gather that, this war having already exposed the existence of these tunnels to the world, and thus having put the Egyptians up against the wall, Israel could stop there and, today, cease fire.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The advertising on the site, in turn, would be customized to each user, based on all sorts of facts that Gamesville could gather with that address from credit bureaus and mailing-list houses.

The New York Times

From what I could gather, most organizations that want to do that will need to pay for membership, unless they're a non-profit, and the ultimate goal for SocialYell is to give some of its profits back to charities.

TechCrunch

"I think the critics again were using anything that they could gather out of that statement," Palin said.

Huffington Post

All I could gather was that I was still pretty drunk and that I would really love a Doritos Locos Tacos Supreme before returning home.

The New Yorker

Findley offered a deal: if Rice could gather evidence that Henley knowingly bought stolen grease, Findley would help him out.

The New Yorker

The founding fathers, he said, thought that any issue that could gather the support of three-quarters of the states was good enough to be in the Constitution; shareholders should have the same power over the company they own.

The New York Times

The way Colarossi played down the letdown was not a case of denial as much as hope -- hope that his team could gather itself, hope that Romania would cool off before the team final Tuesday night.

The New York Times - Sports

The members of the Scraperwiki community - and Zarino Zappia in particular - chipped in and helped write a scraper that could gather the data effectively: firstly the basic data on each torchbearer (around 6,000), and later the linked 'nomination stories' (around 5,900).

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "could gather that" to express an understanding based on implicit information or indirect communication, making it suitable for nuanced analysis.

Common error

Avoid using "could gather that" when the evidence is overwhelmingly clear and directly states the conclusion. In such cases, a more direct statement is preferable. For instance, don't say "I could gather that it was raining" if you are inside and looking directly at a heavy downpour, use "I could see that it was raining."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "could gather that" functions as an epistemic marker, indicating the speaker's or writer's understanding or inference based on available information. It serves to qualify a statement by suggesting a level of deduction. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "could gather that" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that expresses an inference or understanding based on available information. As Ludwig AI highlights, it is suitable for conveying deduction rather than stating a direct fact. Its frequency is uncommon, with primary usage in news and media, science, and encyclopedia contexts. It is important to ensure there is indeed implicit information available to support the reader's own inference of your statement. Be mindful of the context and avoid overstating the strength of the inference. Consider using alternatives like "could infer that" or "could deduce that" for slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could infer that

Focuses on the process of drawing a conclusion from evidence.

could conclude that

Formal way to show a summary or judgment based on evidence.

could deduce that

Implies a more logical and reasoned conclusion.

could understand that

Highlights comprehension and grasping the meaning.

could surmise that

Suggests a conclusion based on limited evidence or guesswork.

could ascertain that

Emphasizes the effort to find something out for certain.

could assume that

Indicates a belief taken for granted without proof.

it could be understood that

Adds a passive voice to express the inference, shifting focus.

it was possible to gather that

Highlights the possibility of deducing something.

one might gather that

Adds a hypothetical or speculative tone to the conclusion.

FAQs

What does "could gather that" mean?

The phrase "could gather that" means to infer or understand something based on available information, even if it's not explicitly stated. It suggests a level of deduction or assumption.

How to use "could gather that" in a sentence?

You can use "could gather that" to show you've inferred something from the information available. For example, "From her silence, I "could gather that" she was upset".

What are some alternatives to "could gather that"?

Alternatives include "could infer that", "could deduce that", or "could understand that", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "could gather that" formal or informal?

"Could gather that" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, more formal alternatives like "could deduce that" might be preferred in academic or professional writing.