remained to be seen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "remained to be seen" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "remains to be seen," which is used to indicate that the outcome of a situation is uncertain and will be revealed in the future. Example: "The effectiveness of the new policy remains to be seen as we gather more data over the coming months."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

It remained to be seen.

The New York Times

Others said much remained to be seen.

The New York Times

Professor Glowka suggested that that remained to be seen.

The New York Times

The psychological consequences, I said, remained to be seen.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But he said the impact of the cuts remained to be seen.

The New York Times

But it remained to be seen if anyone would get in the way of Woods's streak.

The New York Times - Sports

But Mr. Hayden added that it remained to be seen whether real change would occur.

The New York Times

What remained to be seen was how it would play in the country.

The Guardian

He said it remained to be seen whether the armed fighters in Uzbekistan had international connections.

The New York Times

Mr. Kelly suggested that it remained to be seen whether such a thing would happen.

The New York Times

But it remained to be seen if anything concrete would come out of the talks.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "remained to be seen" is commonly used, prefer the grammatically correct form "remains to be seen" in formal writing. This ensures clarity and avoids potential criticism from grammar-conscious readers.

Common error

Avoid using "remained to be seen" when you should be using the present tense "remains to be seen". The present tense correctly conveys that the outcome is currently unknown.

Linguistic Context

The phrase functions as an idiomatic expression indicating that the outcome of a situation or event is still uncertain and will only become clear in the future. Although frequently used, Ludwig AI labels the phrase as grammatically incorrect, suggesting that the proper form is "remains to be seen".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Science

3%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "remained to be seen" is frequently found in various sources, particularly in news and media, Ludwig AI points out that it's not considered grammatically correct. The correct form is "remains to be seen". Despite its common usage, it's advisable to use the grammatically correct alternative in formal writing. If you want to say the same using different words you can opt for phrases as "yet to be determined" or "time will tell". Be mindful of the tense and context to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

yet to be determined

Emphasizes that the outcome is still in the process of being decided or discovered.

remains uncertain

Highlights the lack of clarity or predictability surrounding the situation.

the future is unclear

Focuses on the lack of a definite path or direction forward.

time will tell

Suggests that the outcome will become clear with the passage of time.

it is not yet known

Indicates that the information or answer is currently unavailable or unknown.

remains to be discovered

Suggests that more information or research is needed to understand the situation.

the outcome is pending

Implies that the final result is awaiting a decision or event.

still in question

Emphasizes that the matter is unresolved and subject to debate or uncertainty.

the answer is forthcoming

Suggests that the solution or explanation will be revealed soon.

it is an open question

Highlights that the issue is unresolved and open to multiple possibilities.

FAQs

Is "remained to be seen" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig AI, the standard English expression is "remains to be seen", which is used to indicate that the outcome of a situation is uncertain and will be revealed in the future. While "remained to be seen" is frequently used, it's not considered grammatically correct.

What are some alternatives to "remained to be seen"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "yet to be determined", "remains uncertain", or "time will tell".

When should I use "remains to be seen" instead of "remained to be seen"?

Use "remains to be seen" when discussing something whose outcome is currently unknown and will become clear in the future. The past tense form, "remained to be seen", isn't grammatically correct.

What is the difference between "remains to be seen" and "yet to be seen"?

"Remains to be seen" indicates that the outcome is uncertain and will be revealed later. "Yet to be seen" emphasizes that something hasn't happened or been observed up to the present moment, implying it might happen in the future.