expected yes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "expected yes" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you anticipate a positive response or agreement, but it lacks clarity. Example: "In our meeting, I presented the proposal, and I was looking for an expected yes from the stakeholders."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Elon: It will require more investment than expected, yes.

TechCrunch

Despite my concerns last weekend, the picture held up better than I expected (yes, I can admit when I'm wrong).

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Well, as can be expected, both yes and no.

Independent

She did not appear as if she expected a yes.

The New York Times

Not a connection you might have expected — and yes, there's a bit of Kevin Bacon about it.

The New York Times

The fact that the SNP leader will not be going to the count for the council area which encompasses his constituency was being seen by some observers as an indicator that he expected the yes side to lose the referendum and was limiting his exposure on Thursday night.

The Guardian

The only time science and math education came up during the 2-hour hearing, however, was when Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) informed the 44-year-old Chicago native that he expected "a yes answer" to all the questions he was about to pose.

Science Magazine

On his experience of Federation and the Constitution, Garran was always enthusiastic: "I'm often asked 'has federation turned out as you expected?' Well yes and no.

Wikipedia

The presenter didn't seem to be expecting a yes; but he got one.

Independent

"Are people scared of you?" "I expect so, yes," he says quietly.

The Guardian - Music

"From a football guy you would expect a yes or no, or an answer with emotion," he says.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "expected yes" in formal writing. Opt for clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives such as "anticipated agreement" or "predicted affirmation".

Common error

Don't combine "expected" directly with "yes" as it sounds unnatural. Instead, restructure the sentence to use "expected" with a noun or a clause. For example, instead of "expected yes", consider "expected an affirmative response".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "expected yes" functions as a noun phrase where 'expected' acts as an adjective modifying 'yes'. However, this usage is non-standard and grammatically questionable according to Ludwig. It implies anticipation or presumption of an affirmative response.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "expected yes" is a non-standard and grammatically awkward expression used to convey the anticipation of an affirmative response. While it appears in various contexts, including news and media, wiki entries, and formal business documents, its usage is infrequent and not recommended for formal writing. According to Ludwig, clearer alternatives such as "anticipated agreement" or "predicted affirmation" are preferable. The expert rating reflects the grammatical issues and inconsistent usage, advising writers to opt for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

anticipated a yes vote

Specifically refers to a vote, making it suitable for political or decision-making contexts.

anticipated agreement

Replaces the verb 'expected' with its noun form and 'yes' with a more formal 'agreement'.

predicted affirmation

Substitutes 'expected' with 'predicted' and 'yes' with a more formal 'affirmation'.

was counting on a yes

Expresses reliance on a positive outcome.

anticipated an approving answer

Uses 'approving answer' instead of 'yes' for a more descriptive tone.

foresaw a positive response

Uses 'foresaw' to indicate anticipation and 'positive response' to replace 'yes'.

hoped for an affirmative reply

Replaces 'expected' with 'hoped' to indicate desire rather than certainty.

assumed agreement

Similar to 'presumed consent' but slightly less formal.

projected a favorable outcome

Replaces 'yes' with a broader term 'favorable outcome', suitable for various contexts.

presumed consent

Implies that consent was taken for granted, which may or may not be the intended meaning.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "expected yes"?

Consider alternatives such as "anticipated agreement", "predicted affirmation", or "was counting on a yes" for clearer and more grammatically correct expressions.

Is "expected yes" grammatically correct?

The phrase "expected yes" is not grammatically ideal and can sound awkward. It's better to use a more structured sentence like "I expected an affirmative response".

How can I use "expected yes" in a sentence?

While not recommended, if you must use it, ensure the context is informal and the meaning is clear. A better option would be rephrasing to something like, "The outcome was an anticipated agreement".

What does "expected yes" mean?

It implies anticipation of a positive response or agreement, but the phrasing is not standard. Clearer alternatives would be preferable.