supposing he were able

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "supposing he were able" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in hypothetical situations to discuss what might happen if a certain condition were true. Example: "Supposing he were able to attend the meeting, we would have had a more productive discussion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Writer Robert Greene publishes a bitter denunciation of "an upstart crow" who "with his tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you".

The Guardian

There is an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tygers heart wrapt in a Players hide supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you; and, being an absolute Johannes Factotum, is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene in a country.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It refers to him as "an upstart crow … that with his Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blanke verse as the best of you": the italicised words are a direct parody (with "player" substituted for "woman") of a line from Henry VI Part Three.

The Guardian

Suppose you were able to master these messages.

HuffPost

"He wasn't supposed to be able to walk; well, he walks -- he runs.

Huffington Post

That was the day when -- unless the parole board established that he was likely to commit another crime -- he was supposed to be able to walk out the door at Riverfront State Prison here.

The New York Times

He equated the comment with 2016 rival Hillary Clinton's description of some of his supporters as "deplorables". "She's our secret weapon," he went on to say of Pelosi, and asked how he was supposed to be able to make a deal with her.

Los Angeles Times

He wasn't supposed to be able to talk [because] he only has one vocal chord; yet, he just goes on forever". .

Huffington Post

He's supposed to be able to size up the two sides of a deal and rule on its merits immediately.

Huffington Post

He wasn't supposed to be able to swim up there into the windows—he was supposed to stay within the channel in the castle.

The New Yorker

He wasn't supposed to be able to swim up there into the windows - he was supposed to stay within the channel in the castle.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "supposing he were able" in formal writing to introduce a condition or assumption, adding a layer of sophistication to your prose.

Common error

Avoid mixing tenses within the conditional clause. If you start with "supposing he were able", maintain consistency in the main clause to avoid grammatical errors.

Linguistic Context

Conditional phrase. "Supposing he were able" introduces a hypothetical condition or assumption, functioning as an adverbial clause that sets up a scenario. It’s used to explore potential outcomes based on a condition being met, akin to 'if' clauses. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "supposing he were able" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English, primarily employed to introduce hypothetical conditions or assumptions. While Ludwig AI confirms its validity, its usage is relatively rare, leaning towards formal and scientific registers. Alternative phrases like "if he had the ability" or "assuming he could" may offer simpler, more common alternatives. The phrase appears across diverse sources, but is more frequent in contexts like news, encyclopedias and science. When using this phrase, maintain consistency in tense and ensure the context clearly indicates a hypothetical situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Assuming he could

Similar to "supposing", but uses a more direct and common conditional conjunction.

Say he was able

More informal and conversational, setting up a hypothetical.

If he had the ability

Focuses directly on the possession of the ability itself.

If he were in a position to

Shifts focus to his situational readiness.

In the event that he was capable

Formal and emphasizes the potential for capability.

Imagine if he could

Emphasizes the imaginative aspect of the hypothetical situation.

Provided he had the capacity

Highlights the necessary capacity or resources.

What if he was equipped to

Focuses on being equipped or prepared for a task.

On the condition that he could

Introduces a strict condition for the possibility.

Given his potential ability

Acknowledges potential ability but doesn't guarantee it.

FAQs

How to use "supposing he were able" in a sentence?

Use "supposing he were able" to introduce a hypothetical situation or condition. For example, "Supposing he were able to attend the meeting, the outcome might have been different".

What can I say instead of "supposing he were able"?

You can use alternatives like "if he had the ability", "assuming he could", or "in the event that he was capable" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "supposing he were able" or "if he was able"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "supposing he were able" is more formal. The phrase "if he was able" is more commonly used in everyday language.

What's the difference between "supposing he were able" and "assuming he could"?

While both introduce hypothetical situations, "supposing he were able" implies a more considerable degree of uncertainty or speculation. The phrase "assuming he could" suggests a more pragmatic acceptance of a possibility.