identified about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "identified about" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to indicate a rough estimate or approximation regarding something that has been identified, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "The researchers identified about 50 species in the area."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

We have already identified about half that saving.

The Guardian

We identified about 2,800 active directorships, linked to almost 2,500 companies.

The Guardian - Opinion

City officials have identified about 50 structures with asbestos that need to come down.

The New York Times

The former official said the chart identified about 60 probable members of Al Qaeda.

The New York Times

State officials identified about 30 Maryland public schools that use American Indian names.

The New York Times

To date, the club has identified about 200 different mineral types in New York City.

The New York Times - Arts

In several short encounters, they had identified about twenty Mashco by name.

The New Yorker

Leafing through reference books, he identified about four hundred eminent and talented individuals.

The New Yorker

So far, the agency has identified about $125 million in potential overcharges.

The New York Times

So the company identified about eight ancient grains and started taste-testing them.

The New Yorker

Researchers have identified about a dozen ways to significantly control black carbon and methane emissions.

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace "identified about" with more grammatically sound alternatives such as "identified approximately" or "identified around" to improve clarity and credibility.

Common error

Avoid using "about" when you need to convey precise numbers or identifications. "About" implies estimation; for exact counts, omit "about" or use precise quantifiers.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "identified about" functions to express the act of recognizing or discovering something, combined with an approximation of quantity. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, this construction is grammatically questionable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

41%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "identified about" is frequently used across various sources, including news and scientific publications, it is considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI suggests, alternatives like "identified approximately" or "identified around" are recommended for better clarity and grammatical accuracy. The phrase aims to convey an approximate quantity of identified items, but its incorrectness detracts from its utility. Therefore, writers should opt for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives to maintain credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

identified approximately

Replaces "about" with a more formal synonym indicating approximation.

identified roughly

Uses a different synonym for "about" to suggest an estimated number.

identified around

Employs "around" as an alternative to "about", implying a similar level of approximation.

identified an estimated

Adds "estimated" to emphasize the approximate nature of the identified quantity.

identified in the vicinity of

Offers a more formal and precise way to indicate an approximate quantity.

identified nearly

Implies the quantity is slightly less than the stated number.

identified close to

Indicates the quantity is near the stated number.

identified something like

Uses a more informal phrase to convey the idea of an approximate number.

identified on the order of

Suggests a magnitude or scale, rather than a precise count.

identified or so

Adds an informal tag to indicate an approximate number.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "identified about" in a sentence?

You can replace "identified about" with phrases like "identified approximately", "identified roughly", or "identified around" for better grammatical correctness.

Is it grammatically correct to say "identified about"?

No, "identified about" is not considered grammatically correct. It's better to use alternatives like "identified approximately" or "identified around".

What is the difference between "identified about" and "identified approximately"?

"Identified about" is grammatically incorrect, while "identified approximately" is the correct way to indicate an estimated number of identified items. The latter ensures clarity and adherence to standard English.

What are some alternatives to using "identified about" in scientific writing?

In scientific writing, replace "identified about" with more precise alternatives like "identified approximately", "identified an estimated", or "identified in the vicinity of" to maintain formality and accuracy.