sought to answer

USAGE SUMMARY

"sought to answer" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to an attempt to respond to or resolve something. For example: She sought to answer the question of why the company was losing money.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The Epicureans and the Stoics sought to answer it; Plato and Aristotle sought to answer it.

Stanford University

Mr. Obama sought to answer that question years ago.

The New York Times

This paper presents findings from an EPSRC-funded study that sought to answer the above question.

Energy and Buildings

The question it sought to answer was, when should countries adopt a common currency?

The New York Times

Why employees bully other employees is a question academics have sought to answer since the 1990s.

The Guardian

If that's the fundamental psychological question, Perry sought to answer it artistically.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

In an online advertisement, the Trump campaign sought to answer that question.

The New York Times

This was the question we at the League of Intrapreneurs sought to answer.

The Guardian

Among the questions he sought to answer was, What's the smallest unicycle anybody could ride?

The New Yorker

In an evidence-based format, we sought to answer the following questions: (1) Is shoulder dystocia predictable?

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

As many great discoveries, the phenomenon of cosmic rays was discovered mainly accidentally, during investigations that sought to answer another question: what are sources of air ionization?

Advances in Space Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sought to answer" when you want to emphasize the effort and intention behind finding a solution or explanation to a specific question or problem. It's particularly effective in academic, scientific, or formal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "sought to answer" when the action is ongoing. Use "seek to answer" for present or future actions, and "sought to answer" only for completed attempts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sought to answer" functions as a verb phrase indicating an attempt or effort made in the past to find a solution or explanation to a particular question or problem. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

34%

Academia

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sought to answer" is a grammatically correct and versatile phrase used to describe a past endeavor to find a solution or explanation. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is frequently found in formal writing contexts, particularly in academic research, scientific publications, and news reports. While alternatives exist, using "sought to answer" effectively conveys a sense of deliberate effort and intention behind the pursuit of knowledge. When using this phrase, ensure consistency in tense and register to maintain clarity and professionalism in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

attempted to resolve

Emphasizes the effort made towards finding a resolution.

tried to explain

Focuses on the effort to provide an explanation.

endeavored to determine

Highlights a more formal and determined effort to find something out.

aimed to clarify

Implies a goal of making something clearer or more understandable.

worked towards a solution

Focuses on the process of finding a solution.

set out to prove

Suggests an intent to demonstrate or validate a specific point.

strove to understand

Highlights the effort to gain comprehension.

undertook to investigate

Emphasizes a formal undertaking to examine something systematically.

pursued an explanation

Highlights the active pursuit of an explanation.

explored the possibility

Focuses on investigating the potential of something.

FAQs

How can I use "sought to answer" in a sentence?

Use "sought to answer" to describe a past attempt to find a solution or explanation. For example, "The researchers sought to answer the question of whether climate change affects migration patterns."

What are some alternatives to "sought to answer"?

Alternatives include "attempted to resolve", "tried to explain", or "endeavored to determine", depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "sought to answer" in informal writing?

While grammatically correct, "sought to answer" is more formal. In informal writing, simpler phrases like "tried to answer" or "attempted to find out" may be more suitable.

What's the difference between "sought to answer" and "seeks to answer"?

"Sought to answer" refers to a past action, whereas "seeks to answer" refers to a present or ongoing effort. For example, "The study sought to answer a specific question" (past) vs. "This research seeks to answer pressing questions" (present).