realising

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "realising" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate the moment of becoming aware of something or understanding it clearly. Example: "After weeks of studying, I am finally realising the complexities of quantum physics."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They exchange telephone numbers and Pooley talks of rescuing his motorbike in Kenema and realising his original plan to travel around Sierra Leone.

The Guardian

They only need a history teacher to be nasty to them without realising that, if you shout at Matthew, it can all go wrong.

The Guardian

Wiry and with short-cropped hair flecked with grey, Murphy had worked on building sites most of his adult life, never realising his birdwatching hobby could be a career.

The Guardian

"I have deleted my Twitter account and will be making sure that I impress upon the rest of the squad the importance of realising what damage ill-judged remarks on social media can do," Coles said.

The Guardian - Sport

Women in universities are realising that the battle is way bigger than we ever imagined.

The Guardian

Americans are now realising what it means that we applied to the stealing of signals and the breaking of codes a similar proportion of our resources in relation to the rest of the world.

The Guardian - Tech

Realising he wasn't making quite the positive impression he had intended, Chilcot tried to end on a conciliatory note.

The Guardian

The 2015 progress report, Transforming economies, realising rights, published on Monday, said current economic policies and discriminatory laws and attitudes are failing women in rich and poor countries.

The Guardian

Arsenal, in stark contrast, had to confess to flying Miyaichi to Munich without realising he was ineligible.

The Guardian - Sport

"The participation of instructors and specialists from third countries on Ukrainian territory, where the internal conflict remains unregulated, where problems with realising the points of the Minsk agreements persist, definitely doesn't help resolve the conflict," president Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told journalists after the US paratroopers first arrived in Ukraine on Friday.

The Guardian

Iggy, real name James Osterberg Junior, said: "Having sat in for Jarvis Cocker last year on BBC Radio 6 Music, I found myself realising how good it was for me.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "realising" to denote a moment of sudden understanding or awareness. It's often followed by 'that' or a question word (e.g., "realising that", "realising how").

Common error

Avoid using "realising" when you mean "doing" or "performing". "Realising a plan" is correct if it means understanding the plan, but incorrect if it means executing the plan. Use "implementing" or "executing" instead.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "realising" is as the present participle of the verb 'realise'. It is often used in continuous verb forms (e.g., "I am realising") or as a gerund (e.g., "Realising the danger, he fled"). Ludwig AI confirms its proper use in various sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "realising" is the present participle of the verb 'realise', denoting the process of becoming aware or understanding. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s grammatically correct and widely used, especially in British English. While "realising" is most commonly found in News & Media, it is applicable across various registers. To ensure clarity, avoid using "realising" when you mean "doing" or "implementing". Alternatives such as "understanding", "becoming aware", and "recognizing" can be used depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

becoming aware

Focuses on the process of gradually gaining knowledge or understanding.

understanding

Emphasizes a clear and comprehensive grasp of a concept or situation.

recognizing

Highlights the act of identifying something previously unknown or unacknowledged.

perceiving

Suggests a sensory or intuitive understanding.

comprehending

Implies a thorough and complete understanding.

acknowledging

Focuses on accepting the truth or existence of something.

grasping

Suggests a sudden or intuitive understanding.

achieving

Highlights the successful attainment of a goal or objective.

fulfilling

Emphasizes the completion or realization of something planned or promised.

actualizing

Focuses on making something a reality or bringing it into existence.

FAQs

How to use "realising" in a sentence?

"Realising" is used to indicate the process of becoming aware of something. For example, "I am "realising the importance" of regular exercise."

What can I say instead of "realising"?

Alternatives to "realising" include "understanding", "becoming aware", or "recognizing" depending on the specific context. Each alternative carries a slightly different nuance.

Which is correct, "realising" or "realizing"?

"Realising" is the British English spelling, while "realizing" is the American English spelling. Both are correct, but use the spelling appropriate for your audience.

What's the difference between "realising" and "knowing"?

"Realising" implies a process of coming to understand something, while "knowing" implies a state of already possessing that understanding. For example, you might say "I am "realising that" I need to study more" versus "I "know" the answer to this question".