is vague whether

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is vague whether" is not correct in standard written English.
It can be used when discussing uncertainty or ambiguity regarding a particular situation or statement. Example: "The report is vague whether the project will be completed on time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

And if it is vague whether they do, then it will be vague whether there are two things or three.

SEP

To the extent that it is vague whether the individual is male, it is also vague whether the individual is a brother.

SEP

But, if it is vague whether the activity of some simples constitutes a life then, according to van Inwagen, it is vague how many objects exist.

SEP

Suppose, for example, that there are exactly one-million simples and suppose it is vague whether or not the activity of those simples constitutes a life.

SEP

There are borderline cases where it is vague whether or not the activity of some simples constitutes a life (consider, for example, the question of when, exactly, a person comes into existence or passes away).

SEP

For one may instead hold that there are a range of cases in which it is vague whether the object in question is a stone.[14] 'S is a stone' is true because S falls under all of these precisifications of 'stone'stone

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Even those who don't mind a bit of worldly vagueness may have reason to reject worldly vagueness in persistence, because this amounts to worldly vagueness in identity: it's vague whether the original bicycle your uncle gave you is identical with the bicycle you now ride to work.

SEP

Investigators were vague whether their inquiries extended beyond those companies into the larger food industry.

The New York Times

But Israel is vague about whether it will conduct a further inquiry, and tends to be wary of outside investigation.

The Economist

The legislation is vague on whether dyslexia, a condition that affects one in 10 people, constitutes a disability.

The Guardian

Look closer and Mr Ahmadinejad is vague about whether he means that Iran should destroy Israel or just that he hopes for Israel's disappearance.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing uncertainty, use grammatically sound phrases such as "it is unclear whether" or "it is uncertain whether" instead of "is vague whether" to ensure clarity and correctness.

Common error

Avoid directly pairing adjectives like "vague" with "whether" without a proper subject and verb construction. For instance, instead of saying "the policy is vague whether", rephrase it to "it is vague whether the policy..." or, even better, "it is unclear whether the policy...".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is vague whether" functions as a clause connector, attempting to link a statement of vagueness to a condition. However, Ludwig AI indicates that this construction is not standard English. It often appears where a more grammatically correct connector, such as "is unclear whether", would be more appropriate.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "is vague whether" is used to express uncertainty, it's considered grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. Standard English alternatives like "is unclear whether" or "is uncertain whether" are recommended for clarity and correctness. Although the phrase appears in some news and scientific contexts, it's best to avoid it in formal writing. Using grammatically sound alternatives ensures more effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it is unclear whether

Replaces "vague" with "unclear" for improved clarity and standard English usage.

it is uncertain whether

Substitutes "vague" with "uncertain", providing a more direct and grammatically sound construction.

there is ambiguity whether

Employs a noun-based structure, shifting from an adjective to a noun for enhanced grammatical precision.

it is doubtful whether

Uses "doubtful" instead of "vague" to express uncertainty in a grammatically correct manner.

it is indefinite whether

Replaces "vague" with "indefinite", offering a more formal and accurate alternative.

there is no clarity whether

Expresses the lack of clarity using a different sentence structure for grammatical correctness.

it is open to question whether

Introduces a more idiomatic expression to convey uncertainty in a grammatically acceptable way.

it is debatable whether

Replaces "vague" with "debatable", framing the situation as a matter of debate rather than vagueness.

the situation is ambiguous regarding whether

Restructures the sentence to highlight the ambiguity of the situation, ensuring grammatical correctness.

the matter is undefined concerning whether

Presents the matter as "undefined", which provides a formal and grammatically sound way to indicate vagueness.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "is vague whether"?

You can use alternatives like "is unclear whether", "is uncertain whether", or "is indefinite whether" depending on the context.

How to correct "is vague whether" in a sentence?

Rephrase the sentence to include a subject. For example, instead of "The report is vague whether...", use "It is vague whether the report...". A better option, however, is to replace it with "It is unclear whether the report...".

What's the difference between "is vague whether" and "is unclear whether"?

While both phrases express uncertainty, "is unclear whether" is grammatically standard and more widely accepted. "Is vague whether" is considered non-standard and less clear.

Is "is vague whether" grammatically correct?

No, "is vague whether" is not considered grammatically correct in standard written English. It's better to use phrases like "is unclear whether" or "is uncertain whether".