surveying about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "surveying about" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as "surveying" already implies an examination or inquiry, making "about" redundant. Example: "The researchers are surveying the local population to gather data on their health habits."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The PMI index, compiled by surveying about 5,000 companies across the euro area, showed Germany and France were the worst performers.

The Guardian - Business

This book, surveying about 130 eminent art collectors and collections since the second world war, bears him out.

The Economist

It's hard to know exactly how common it is: traditional analytics firms like Nielsen and comScore can't track it, and cultural research organizations like Pew haven't done extensive surveying about it.

The New York Times

After surveying about 200 leases handled by her company so far this year, Ms. Packes said the average for studios now stands at $1,680, down 1.47percentt since December.

The New York Times

What they saw during a four-hour flight out of Palestine, Tex., in 2006 — after surveying about 7percentt of the sky and laboriously filtering out the booming radio presence of our own Milky Way galaxy — was much bigger than that.

The New York Times - Science

The ISM, a trade group of purchasing executives based in Tempe, Ariz., compiles its manufacturing index by surveying about 300 purchasing executives across the country.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

The researchers surveyed about 700 lifeguards, ages 15 to 60.

The New York Times - Health

The bureau surveyed about 50,000 households in August 2000.

The New York Times

The trade group surveys about 350 companies every month.

The New York Times

Students also will be surveyed about their teachers.

The Washington Post

Graduating seniors are surveyed about the Student Outcomes on the senior graduation survey administered by the College of Chemistry.

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "surveying about" in formal writing. Instead, use phrases like "conducting a survey on" or "gathering data about" to maintain clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

The word "surveying" already implies an "about" context. Using "surveying about" is akin to saying "investigating about", which is grammatically incorrect. Always use simply "surveying" or replace it with a correct alternative.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "surveying about" functions as a gerund phrase followed by a preposition, intending to describe the act of conducting a survey regarding a specific topic. However, Ludwig AI indicates this usage is generally considered grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "surveying about" appears in various sources, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI highlights that "surveying" already implies the action of gathering information, making "about" redundant. Grammatically sound alternatives such as "conducting a survey on" or "gathering data about" offer clearer and more professional ways to express the same intent. Given its questionable status, it's best to steer clear of "surveying about" in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

conducting a survey on

Replaces the gerund form with a more standard verb phrase using "conducting" and specifies the subject with "on".

gathering data about

Focuses on the action of collecting data, providing a more specific and formal tone.

investigating the topic of

Uses "investigating" to suggest a more in-depth and analytical approach.

researching the subject of

Emphasizes the research aspect of the information gathering process.

examining information regarding

Offers a more formal and detailed approach, suitable for academic or professional contexts.

polling individuals on

Highlights the act of polling as a means of collecting data.

collecting responses concerning

Stresses the gathering of responses as the primary action.

inquiring into the matter of

Presents a more formal and inquisitive approach to the subject.

assessing opinions about

Focuses on evaluating viewpoints related to a specific issue.

studying details related to

Suggests a thorough and comprehensive examination of the subject matter.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the word "surveying"?

The word "surveying" should be followed directly by the object of the survey, for example: "The researchers are surveying the local population."

What can I say instead of "surveying about"?

You can use alternatives like "conducting a survey on", "gathering data about", or "investigating the topic of depending on the context.

Is "surveying about" grammatically correct?

No, "surveying about" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The word "surveying" already implies an examination or inquiry, making "about" redundant.

Which is correct, "surveying" or "surveying about"?

"Surveying" is the correct term. "Surveying about" is redundant and should be avoided in formal writing. Use "surveying" followed by the object of your survey.