tested about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tested about" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is unclear in what context it could be used, as it does not form a standard expression or phrase. Example: "The results were tested about the effectiveness of the new drug." (This sentence is awkward and unclear.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The highest concentration tested, about 24percentt in OFF! Deep Woods, lasted five hours on average.

The New York Times

"Once Mary came into the business, we tested about eight different brownie recipes," Wolf said.

The New Yorker

Health workers have tested about 1,200 birds found dead last year for the West Nile virus.

The New York Times

Belgium, with a cattle population a small fraction of ours, tested about 20 times that number for the disease.

The New York Times

Until then, the department tested about 20,000 cattle a year for the disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

The New York Times

In the last 13 years, the Agriculture Department has tested about 57,000 animals out of about 390 million slaughtered.

The New York Times

The three states, as well as New York City, have tested about the same number of birds and mosquitoes.

The New York Times

State health officials say they tested about 1,000 people who worked at American Media or visited its headquarters here.

The New York Times

The state laboratory, which has already tested about 600 swabs gathered from mail boxes and other locations by investigators, yesterday received an additional 76 swabs.

The New York Times

A department official said that about 16,000 people in sensitive programs were singled out for polygraph testing, and that examiners tested about 2,000 people a year.

The New York Times

More- over, respondents in the study were not aware that they were being tested about advertising, merely that their brainwaves were being monitored.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "tested about" in formal writing. Instead, opt for more precise alternatives such as "tested for", "tested regarding", or "evaluated for" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

A common mistake is to use "about" after "tested", which is grammatically incorrect. Always consider what you are testing for or regarding to choose the correct preposition. For example, say "tested for lead" instead of "tested about lead".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tested about" functions as a verb phrase where "tested" is the past participle of the verb "test" and "about" is a preposition. However, according to Ludwig AI, this combination is grammatically incorrect, it doesn't form a standard expression in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Science

47%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "tested about" appears in various sources, including news and scientific articles, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies it as a non-standard expression. It's important to note that, while there are some contexts of usage, this doesn't make the expression grammatically correct. Better alternatives like "tested for", "tested regarding", or "evaluated for", offer more precise and grammatically sound ways to convey the intended meaning. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid using "tested about" in your writing to ensure clarity and correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tested for

Focuses on the purpose of the test; looking for a specific substance or condition.

tested regarding

Indicates the topic or subject that was evaluated during the test.

tested concerning

Similar to "tested regarding", highlights the matter under examination.

evaluated for

Implies a broader assessment, not necessarily a test with a specific outcome.

assessed in relation to

Indicates that the test was done to see how it relates to some other aspect.

investigated with respect to

Suggests a more in-depth, research-oriented approach to testing.

examined concerning

Highlights a detailed inspection focusing on specific issues.

analyzed for

Emphasizes the process of breaking down data to understand the results.

screened for

Used to find something out of many options, usually to eliminate possibilities.

checked regarding

A less formal way to describe the examination or verification process.

FAQs

What is a correct alternative to "tested about"?

Better alternatives include "tested for", "tested regarding", or "evaluated for", depending on the intended meaning.

How can I use "tested for" in a sentence?

You might say, "The water was "tested for" contaminants" or "Athletes are regularly "tested for" performance-enhancing drugs."

Is there a difference between "tested regarding" and "tested concerning"?

The phrases "tested regarding" and "tested concerning" are very similar and often interchangeable. Both indicate the subject or topic that was evaluated during the test.

When should I use "evaluated for" instead of "tested for"?

"Evaluated for" implies a broader assessment than "tested for". Use "evaluated for" when the assessment includes multiple factors and isn't limited to a specific outcome or substance, for example: "The product was "evaluated for" safety and reliability."