possess competences

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "possess competences" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing someone's skills or abilities in a particular area or field. Example: "To excel in this role, candidates must possess competences in project management and effective communication."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

No attempt whatever is made to tamper with the way states are organised internally, something that does, indeed, vary a very great deal, in that many regions possess competences, while others have merely administrative responsibilities or simply the name of 'region'region

EU Parlament

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Researchers who possess competence with respect to a given theoretical approach will have to assign an opportunity cost in time and lost productivity to the task of becoming competent with respect to rival approaches.

SEP

A person may possess competence to make one sort of decision even if he or she lacks it to make another.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

Additionally, entrepreneurs possess generic competences that enhance generation of diversity and diffusion of new knowledge (Drucker 2014; see for university-run enterprises, Zhou 2014).

Triple Helix

In Tampere, there are not savvy management teams attached to the local system that would possess the competences needed in moving forward, and neither there are products nor services packaged for international markets.

Triple Helix

One aim of the NCSCT is to establish what constitutes best practice in treatment to aid smoking cessation, and to develop and implement assessment and training to ensure that all practitioners possess the competences necessary to deliver effective interventions (see http://www.ncsct.co.uk).

BMC Health Services Research

"Number one, the patient must have access to medical care, and, two, the patient must possess sociological competence to take medication, which basically means that they live in a safe environment and are not homeless, not severely mentally ill, and are not suffering from addiction".

The New Yorker

Central to genetic studies for Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is the availability of genomic clones that may possess functional competence and ability to generate infectious virus.

Virology

What distinguishes IFCs is that they possess macroeconomic competence, are independent from the political system, and arguably, most importantly for the purposes of this paper have a clear watchdog function that includes assessing the long-term sustainability of fiscal policy [53].

European Journal of Futures Research

Through a survey of randomly selected professional and managerial workers in the service industry, the paper argues that it is plausible to identify this fraction of the professional middle-class as one homogeneous social group who possess cultural competence to decode and appreciate an urbane lifestyle.

Cities

We are not proposing here that the bees were 'counting', sensu stricto [25], that they possess mathematical competence [26], or that they were able to order the abstract concepts of 'two' and 'three' on a scale of magnitude [27].

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing required qualifications, use "possess competences" to formally emphasize a specific set of skills needed for a role or task.

Common error

Avoid using "possess competences" in informal contexts. Simpler alternatives like "have skills" or "are good at" are often more appropriate for casual conversation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "possess competences" functions as a verb phrase followed by a noun, where "possess" acts as a transitive verb taking "competences" as its direct object. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

21%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Unknown

18%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "possess competences" is a grammatically sound and usable expression, primarily employed to denote someone's capabilities or qualifications, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It is most frequently found in scientific, academic, and formal business contexts, indicating a formal and professional register. While it can be used to emphasize a specific set of skills, remember that it sounds formal and there are shorter and more suitable alternatives for informal conversation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have competences

Uses a more common verb, "have", instead of "possess", but maintains the same noun.

own competences

A more direct synonym, replacing "possess" with "own".

exhibit competences

Focuses on demonstrating skills, replacing "possess" with "exhibit".

demonstrate competences

Similar to exhibit, but emphasizes the act of showing capabilities.

display competences

Highlights the visible manifestation of skills.

hold competences

Uses "hold" as a synonym for "possess", indicating ownership of skills.

be equipped with competences

Focuses on being furnished or prepared with the necessary skills.

command competences

Suggests a high level of mastery and control over the skills.

be endowed with competences

Suggests a natural or inherent provision of skills.

harbor competences

Implies a more intrinsic or inherent possession of skills.

FAQs

How can I use "possess competences" in a sentence?

You can use "possess competences" to describe someone's skills or abilities in a particular area. For example, "To excel in this role, candidates must "possess competences" in project management and effective communication."

What are some alternatives to saying "possess competences"?

Alternatives include "have skills", "hold qualifications", or "demonstrate abilities", depending on the specific context.

Is "possess competences" formal language?

Yes, "possess competences" is generally considered more formal than alternatives like "have skills" or "are good at". Use it in professional or academic contexts.

How does "possess competences" differ from "have skills"?

"Possess competences" is a more formal and emphatic way of saying "have skills". It suggests a more comprehensive and demonstrable set of capabilities.