so as to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "so as to understand" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate the purpose of an action, specifically to convey that something is done with the intention of gaining understanding. Example: "She explained the concept in simple terms so as to understand it better."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Policymakers, analysts and consumers are interested in understanding the total ownership costs of various vehicle types and technologies so as to understand their relative consumer preference and valuation.

Applied Energy

XPS was applied to study the surface changes so as to understand the effect.

Surface and Coatings Technology

This article aims to identify its core technology structure so as to understand the recent progress of EV technology innovation.

Energy Procedia

Given data arising from some real-world phenomenon, how does one analyze that data so as to understand that phenomenon?

University of California, Berkeley

Carbon and PBO were also coupled with high-performance mortar so as to understand the effect of using high performance cementitious mortar as matrix for composite systems.

Construction and Building Materials

Further information has been extracted from these measurements so as to understand better the way in which the pores develop and grow.

Electrochimica Acta

Metals are taken in commercially pure form so as to understand the basic mechanism of joining, which can be then employed to complex alloy systems.

Journal of Materials Processing Technology

Analytical formulations were also employed so, as to understand the correlation between stress distribution and deformation regime in the contacting parts.

Engineering Failure Analysis

With the full genome now in hand, the researchers hope to recreate the microbe itself so as to understand what made the Black Death outbreak so deadly.

The New York Times - Science

"People, critics, they need a narrative so as to understand her work – probably to explain the ever-changing complexity of her forms and material.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The hard part was analyzing words so as to understand the user's intent and then reason about and answer the request.

Harvard Business Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "so as to understand", ensure that the sentence clearly indicates what needs to be understood and why understanding it is important for the action being taken.

Common error

Avoid using "so as to understand" in sentences where the subject of understanding is unclear. Ensure that the reader can easily identify what is being understood. For example, instead of saying "Data was collected so as to understand", specify what the data is intended to help understand: "Data was collected so as to understand customer preferences".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "so as to understand" functions as an adverbial phrase of purpose. It modifies a verb, clause, or sentence by explaining the reason or intention behind an action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates the objective of gaining understanding.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "so as to understand" serves as a purpose connector, indicating the intention to gain comprehension. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English. As demonstrated by Ludwig's examples, its use is widespread across diverse fields such as science, news, and business, although slightly more frequent in science. While it's generally grammatically sound and versatile, ensure clarity in your writing by specifying what is to be understood, so as to avoid ambiguity. Consider alternatives like "in order to understand" or "to gain an understanding of" depending on the specific context and desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in order to comprehend

Uses "comprehend" instead of "understand", implying a more thorough understanding.

to gain an understanding of

Rephrases the purpose using "gain an understanding", which is more verbose.

with the aim of understanding

Emphasizes the aim or goal of understanding something.

for the purpose of understanding

Formally states the purpose using a prepositional phrase.

to better grasp

Uses "grasp" to mean understand, implying a more intuitive understanding.

in an effort to understand

Highlights the effort involved in understanding something.

with a view to understanding

A more formal way of expressing the intention of understanding.

in order to get a handle on

Uses the idiomatic expression "get a handle on" to mean understand.

for the sake of understanding

Emphasizes the value or importance of understanding.

toward the goal of understanding

Focuses on the objective or target of achieving understanding.

FAQs

How can I use "so as to understand" in a sentence?

Use "so as to understand" to indicate the purpose of an action is to gain understanding. For instance, "She simplified the explanation "so as to understand" the concept better."

What are some alternatives to "so as to understand"?

You can use phrases like "in order to understand", "to gain an understanding of", or "with the aim of understanding" as alternatives to "so as to understand".

Is "so as to understand" formal or informal?

"So as to understand" is generally considered more formal than simpler alternatives like "to understand" or "in order to understand", but it's suitable for a variety of contexts.

How does "so as to understand" differ from "in order to understand"?

While both phrases express purpose, "so as to understand" can sometimes sound slightly more formal or deliberate than "in order to understand". The difference is subtle and often depends on the writer's style and the context.