is was known

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is was known" is not correct in English and cannot be used as it stands.
It appears to be a combination of two different verb forms that do not work together. Example: "The fact that he is known for his expertise in the field is widely accepted."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Both American doctors and scientists working for Roche later testified that is was known before it came out on the market that Accutane potentially had a very dangerous risk of birth defects, based on the fact that it was derived from Vitamin A related compounds, well known for many years to cause birth defects in women.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The kiss of death, she said later, is being known as someone.

The New York Times - Arts

So far, nothing is is known about the extracellular target sites.

BMC Physiology

That's been known to happen.

The New York Times - Sports

He's been known to do that.

The New York Times - Sports

She's been known to misbehave.

The New York Times

It's been known to happen.

The New York Times

Because he's been known to ruin guys' careers".

The New York Times - Sports

It's been known ever since as The House That Hitler Bought.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

(He's been known to say the same to me).

The Guardian - Books

And it's been known to be morphed with celebrity faces.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always ensure verb tenses agree within a sentence. "Is" is present tense, while "was" is past tense; they cannot be directly combined in this way.

Common error

Avoid mixing present and past tenses without a clear reason. If referring to a past state, use "was known" or "had been known". If it's a current state, use "is known" or "has been known".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is was known" attempts to combine present and past tenses inappropriately. Its intended function is likely to assert that something is or was previously known. However, as noted by Ludwig, it constitutes a grammatical error, leading to miscommunication.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

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Science

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Wiki

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Reference

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Academia

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "is was known" is grammatically incorrect due to the improper mixing of present and past tenses. As Ludwig indicates, it should be avoided in formal writing and speech. Alternative correct phrases such as "is known", "was known", or "has been known" should be used instead to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. Pay careful attention to the intended tense when expressing that something is or was previously known.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was known

Removes the present tense "is", focusing on the past state of being known.

is known

Corrects the tense by using the present tense "is" with the past participle "known".

has been known

Uses the present perfect tense to indicate something that started in the past and continues to be known.

had been known

Employs the past perfect tense to describe something known before a specific point in the past.

is recognized

Replaces "known" with "recognized", indicating acknowledgement rather than just awareness.

is acknowledged

Similar to "is recognized", but emphasizes formal acceptance or admission.

is understood

Suggests comprehension of something, rather than simply knowing about it.

was already known

Adds "already" for emphasis on the fact that it was previously known.

is widely known

Indicates that the information is known by many people.

is common knowledge

Implies that the information is so well-known that it is considered general knowledge.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "is was known"?

The phrase "is was known" is grammatically incorrect. Depending on the context, you should use either "is known" (present tense) or "was known" (past tense).

When should I use "is known" instead of "was known"?

"Is known" should be used when referring to something that is currently known. "Was known" is used when referring to something that was known in the past but may not be known now.

What is a more formal way to say something "is known"?

More formal alternatives to "is known" include "is recognized" or "is acknowledged", depending on the specific context.

What's the difference between "is known" and "has been known"?

"Is known" generally refers to something that is currently a fact or widely understood. "Has been known" implies that something has been known for some time, starting in the past and continuing to the present.