encountered these two

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "encountered these two" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to having met or come across two specific people, objects, or concepts in a particular context. Example: "During my research, I encountered these two theories that challenged my previous understanding of the topic."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

When Ransome first encountered these two tall jolly girls, Evgenia was working as Trotsky's personal secretary.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

If you don’t believe me, think about a customer encountering these two cause marketing messages: “A portion of the proceeds will go to keeping girls in school in Africa," or “Five percent of net sales will go to Deworm the World, the world’s most effective program for keeping children in school in developing countries.

Forbes

There is no doubt that these two notions are directly relevant to our discussion, but I have avoided mention of them up until now, first, because I have not wished to pull apart too many concepts at once and, second, because we will be encountering these two ideas and the question of how they fit into the trajectory of our modern notions of science and religion in subsequent chapters.

University of Chicago

Part of the problem we have encountered these past five years is that the struggle has been perceived - as the terrorists want it to be perceived - as a single struggle between single protagonists.

The Guardian

Technical difficulties were encountered in these two runs, related mostly to the fact that Chandra aspect camera cannot be used near the Moon, which prevented further dark Moon observations.

Harvard University

Although the data collected did not permit us to examine if fish, or vertebrate predators discriminated between the habitats encountered by these two species, the abundance of D. parvula has been found to be positively associated with the abundance of planktivorous fish [ 64].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

The cytogenetic similarities encountered in these two morphologically distinct entities, namely losses in 16q and gains in 1q chromosomes, might justify for the absence in our study, of tumor-microenvironment alterations, for both lesions, regarding the expression of CD34 and SMA.

BMC Cancer

What happened to this scarred landscape after the war, and how have Germans, Poles, and Jews encountered these ruins over the past sixty years?

Harvard University

The differences Republicans encounter at these two levels of government is due to differing emphasis on how they do what they do – and that voters have responded more favorably to Republicans' state-level approach.

Forbes

For six years after their first encounter, these two great gladiators played more than 140 games in their world championship battles: Karpov won a total of 19, Kasparov 21, with the remainder drawn.

The Guardian - Sport

And then it grounds itself as it swerves into a realistic encounter: these two lovers become teenagers at a party, about to find out what they feel, who tell each other everything – about their families, their face packs and their terrors.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "encountered these two", ensure the context clearly defines who or what "these two" refers to. Clarity prevents ambiguity and enhances understanding.

Common error

Avoid using "encountered these two" without a clear antecedent. Ensure the reader knows exactly who or what "these two" refers to within the immediate context. Otherwise, rewrite the sentence with specific nouns instead of pronouns.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encountered these two" functions as a verb phrase acting as a predicate in a sentence. It indicates the action of coming across or experiencing two specific entities. This is supported by Ludwig, which shows various examples across different domains.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "encountered these two" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe the act of meeting, finding, or experiencing two specific entities. Ludwig confirms its usability across various contexts, particularly in news, science, and academia. While relatively neutral, "encountered" adds a touch of formality, while remembering that providing a clear reference for "these two" is crucial for clarity. Consider alternatives like "came across these two" or "met these two" depending on your intended tone and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

came across these two

Replaces "encountered" with "came across", suggesting a more casual or accidental discovery.

met these two

Uses "met" instead of "encountered", which is more suitable when referring to people.

discovered these two

Emphasizes the finding or uncovering of the two items, suggesting they were previously unknown.

found these two

Similar to "discovered" but can also imply a chance finding rather than a deliberate search.

experienced these two

Focuses on the experience or undergoing of something involving the two items.

faced these two

Implies confronting or dealing with two challenging or significant things.

ran into these two

Suggests an unexpected or unplanned meeting with the two entities.

stumbled upon these two

Similar to "ran into" but emphasizes the accidental nature of the finding.

observed these two

Emphasizes the act of watching or noticing the two items.

witnessed these two

Implies seeing something happen involving the two entities, often something significant or impactful.

FAQs

How can I use "encountered these two" in a sentence?

Use "encountered these two" when you want to express that you met, found, or experienced two specific items, people, or concepts. For example: "During my research, I encountered these two conflicting theories."

What can I say instead of "encountered these two"?

You can use alternatives such as "came across these two", "met these two", or "discovered these two" depending on the specific context.

Is it more formal to say "encountered these two" or "came across these two"?

"Encountered these two" is generally considered more formal than "came across these two". Use "encountered" in academic or professional settings, and "came across" in more casual contexts.

When is it appropriate to use "encountered these two"?

It is appropriate when you want to emphasize a meeting or finding of two specific items, people, or concepts, especially when it involves some element of surprise or challenge. Ensure that the reference of "these two" is clear to the audience.