saw it in the newspaper

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "saw it in the newspaper" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to information or news that you have read in a newspaper. Example: "I saw it in the newspaper that the local library is hosting a book fair this weekend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Perhaps, everyone who saw it in the newspaper understood the context?

Vice

"I saw it in the newspaper and I had seen it before," she said, dressed in soldier garb for "Waterloo Chess Set". "It's funny because I'm playing a boy.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"A guy in the Genovese family didn't know he was in the Genovese family till he saw it in the newspapers," said Mr. Raab, the author of "Five Families: The Rise, Decline and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires" (St. Martin's Press).

The New York Times

"Until I see in person or otherwise, I don't care if I hear it on the phone, pull it off the Internet or see it in the newspaper.

The New York Times - Sports

There's no internet really in prisons, so anything beyond people seeing it in the newspaper was all word-of-mouth".

Vice

The Pulitzer Prize winning Berkeley Breathed creation only ran from 1980 until 1989, when I was all of two years old, so I couldn't have seen it in the newspaper.

Vice

"You see it in the newspapers, that's why we wanted to visit".

The New York Times

Sometimes we become numb to it, because you see it so much on television, you see it in the newspapers, but when something hits home, if you see a family member or a friend that's been through something like that, certainly your heart goes out to the family that has something tragic like that happen in their lives.

The New York Times - Sports

"The only reason it got bad was just cos the media blew it out of all proportion," Daley insists valiantly, "and then there wasn't anything I could do cos the people at school would see it in the newspapers and think they were getting to me, that kind of thing.

The Guardian - Sport

My parents saw it in a newspaper.

The Guardian - Music

You see it in the fact that one newspaper still, in 2014 finds merit in the idea of plastering a picture of a woman's breasts across its pages nearly every day.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "saw it in the newspaper", ensure the context clearly indicates that the information was obtained through visual reading of a newspaper. This adds credibility and specificity to your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "saw it in the newspaper" when your audience might primarily consume news through digital platforms. Consider rephrasing to "read about it in the news" or "learned about it from a news source" to be more inclusive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "saw it in the newspaper" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate the source of information. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's grammatically sound and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Reference

0.5%

Social Media

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "saw it in the newspaper" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to indicate that information was obtained from a printed news source. Ludwig confirms its validity and usability. While generally neutral in tone, it's important to consider your audience and whether printed newspapers are their primary source of news. Alternatives like "read it in the paper" or "found it in the news" may be more inclusive in some contexts. The phrase is most commonly found in News & Media sources, indicating its relevance in journalistic contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Read it in the paper

Focuses on the act of reading rather than seeing, but maintains the context of a newspaper.

Found it in the news

Broader term, indicating the information source as news, but not specific to newspapers.

Learned it from the press

Uses "the press" as a more formal synonym for newspapers.

Discovered it in print media

A more formal way of stating the information came from printed sources.

Came across it in the daily

"The daily" implies a daily newspaper, providing a more specific context.

Noticed it in the newsprint

Highlights the physical medium of newsprint.

Observed it in the broadsheet

Uses "broadsheet" to specify a type of newspaper.

Gathered from the chronicles

More literary, implying a formal record of events.

Heard it through journalistic channels

Shifts focus from visual to auditory, implying news sources.

As reported in the papers

A passive construction indicating the information's source.

FAQs

What does "saw it in the newspaper" mean?

It means that the speaker obtained specific information by reading it in a physical, printed newspaper. It implies a visual recognition and comprehension of the content within that particular news source.

Is it appropriate to say "saw it in the newspaper" if I read the newspaper online?

While technically you are "seeing" the news, the phrase "saw it in the newspaper" typically implies reading a physical, printed copy. If you read it online, it's more accurate to say "read it online" or "saw it on the newspaper's website".

What can I say instead of "saw it in the newspaper"?

You can use alternatives like "read it in the paper", "found it in the news", or "learned it from the press" depending on the context.

Is "saw it in the newspaper" formal or informal?

The phrase is generally considered neutral to informal. In more formal contexts, consider using phrases like "according to reports" or "as stated in the press".