is certainly yes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is certainly yes" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express strong agreement or affirmation, but it lacks clarity and proper structure. Example: "When asked if I would attend the meeting, my answer is certainly yes."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

"The answer to that is certainly, yes," Miller said.

The New York Times - Sports

"The answer to that is certainly, yes," Miller responded.

The Washington Post

The answer is certainly yes, as of very recently.

The New York Times - Arts

For the stars of the last bull market, the answer is certainly yes.

The New York Times

For Garbo, who had male lovers, the answer is certainly yes.

The New York Times - Books

"The answer is certainly yes". But the decisive tilt in the intellectual debate is coming from a newer source: fear of global ecological instability.

The New York Times - Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Angus Young, yes, is certainly a star - but a rock star of a very self-consciously short kind, famous, as we all know, for wearing schoolboy outfits onstage.

BBC

But yes, litigation is certainly not off the table".

The New York Times

And yes, China is certainly a suspect in arming Syria, as are many other states.

The New York Times

"If Divine needs service finance then, yes, that is certainly something I can bring there.

The Guardian

Well, yes, it is certainly an ordeal, not having people shake your hand anymore when you enter a diner.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "is certainly yes" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "is definitely yes" or "the answer is certainly yes" for clarity and professionalism.

Common error

A common error is directly translating thought into words without considering proper grammatical structure. Ensure that your sentences follow standard English grammar rules; for example, "is certainly yes" should be restructured to "is definitely yes" or "the answer is certainly yes".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is certainly yes" functions as an affirmative response, aiming to express strong agreement. However, according to Ludwig AI, its grammatical structure is incorrect. While the intent is clear, the phrasing does not conform to standard English grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

83%

Science

8%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "is certainly yes" appears relatively frequently in various contexts, particularly in News & Media, it is considered grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. Its intended purpose is to express strong affirmation, but its non-standard structure diminishes its effectiveness in formal settings. Alternative phrases like "is definitely yes" or "the answer is yes" offer grammatically sound and clearer ways to convey the same meaning. Therefore, it's advisable to avoid using "is certainly yes" in formal or professional communication to maintain clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is definitely yes

Replaces "certainly" with "definitely", providing a grammatically sound and emphatic affirmation.

is absolutely yes

Substitutes "certainly" with "absolutely", emphasizing a complete and unquestionable agreement.

is undoubtedly yes

Replaces "certainly" with "undoubtedly", highlighting the lack of doubt in the affirmation.

is a resounding yes

Uses "a resounding yes" to indicate a strong and affirmative response, changing the structure to a noun phrase.

the answer is definitely yes

Adds "the answer" to clarify the subject, making the sentence grammatically complete and emphatic.

the answer is certainly affirmative

Replaces "yes" with "affirmative", maintaining the certainty but using a different word choice.

yes, without a doubt

Introduces "yes" at the beginning, followed by "without a doubt" to express strong agreement.

yes, without question

Similar to "without a doubt", emphasizing that there is no question about the affirmation.

that's a definite yes

Changes the structure to focus on the certainty of the "yes", using "definite" as an adjective.

that's certainly the case

Shifts the focus to affirming a statement's validity rather than a simple yes/no answer, using "the case" as the subject.

FAQs

What's grammatically wrong with "is certainly yes"?

The phrase "is certainly yes" is grammatically incorrect because it improperly combines an adverb ("certainly") directly with an affirmative response ("yes"). A more correct formulation would be "is definitely yes" or "the answer is certainly yes".

What can I say instead of "is certainly yes"?

You can use alternatives like "is definitely yes", "is absolutely yes", or "the answer is yes" to convey a similar meaning with correct grammar.

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

To use "yes" emphatically, you can pair it with adverbs like "definitely" or "absolutely", or restructure the sentence to include a strong affirmative phrase. For example, "yes, without a doubt" or "is a resounding yes".

Which is the correct way to structure an affirmative response with "certainly," "definitely," or "absolutely"?

The correct way is to use "certainly" or "definitely" as adverbs modifying the verb. For example, instead of "is certainly yes", use "is definitely yes" or "the answer is certainly yes". Note that using "certainly" before "yes" is redundant.