than we speculated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "than we speculated" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when comparing a situation or outcome to previous assumptions or predictions made by a group or individual. Example: "The results of the experiment were more surprising than we speculated."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We currently cannot eliminate the possibility that the relationships between the child variables, psychosocial variables, and outcomes operate in the opposite direction than we speculated or in a bidirectional manner.

BMC Pediatrics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Since the p85 regulated isoforms of class I PI3Ks (α, β, and δ) are more sensitive to caffeine than PI3Kγ, we speculated that Akt phosphorylation induced by SCF may be blocked by lower caffeine concentrations compared to Akt phosphorylation induced by Epo.

BMC Biology

Given that the distance between the site of tiRNA biogenesis and the p21 alt promoter is greater than 6 kilobases, we speculated that these effects are facilitated by tiRNA-mediated regulation of other epigenetic regulators capable of acting at long distances.

Epigenetics and Chromatin

Since SxN accumulates less JA than oe NahG plants, we speculated that the cross would realize greater fitness benefits than the oe NahG plants.

BMC Plant Biology

Because SUM1315-bo cells have higher migratory potential than MCF-7 cells, we speculated that miR-106b might be involved in BC migration.

Cancer Science

Since migration in fra mutants was more strongly affected than in netABΔ mutant we speculated that the zygotic null netABΔ embryos might be being partly rescued by maternal Netrin.

Biology Open

However, since the size of several colonies selected with G418 was apparently smaller in r1A and r3A than in the controls, we speculated that these surviving cells expressed relatively low levels of U1snRNA, which permitted colony formation.

British Journal of Cancer

Regarding to the phenomenon that RNAi of sperm genes produces fewer defective phenotypes than the corresponding mutants, we speculated it is due to that the exogenously triggered RNAi pathway could not compete over the endogenous RRF-3/ERI-1/ALG-3 RNAi pathway.

BMC Genomics

Since the monomethylation signal was one order of magnitude weaker than the H3K4me2/3 signal, we speculated that instead of being enriched in the unidirectional genes it was rather depleted in the bidirectional genes due to the bi- and trimethylation of the same residue.

BMC Genomics

ZmNAC1 also showed a higher expression level in the ears, stems and male spikes than in the leaves, so we speculated that ZmNAC1 might also be involved in the branching development of ears and male spikes.

BMC Plant Biology

The in vitro results have shown that A β was the suitable substrate for the glycation and glycated A β appeared to be more neurotoxic than A β. Thus, we speculated that AGEs may be produced by glycating A β even in the early stage of Tg2576 mice, in which accumulation of A β contributes to the pathology.

Cell Death and Disease

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "than we speculated", ensure that the speculation is clearly defined or has been previously mentioned for context. This provides a clearer comparison and avoids ambiguity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "than we speculated" without clearly establishing what was speculated. This can lead to confusion if the reader is unaware of the initial predictions or assumptions. Always provide sufficient context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "than we speculated" primarily functions as a comparative element within a sentence. It highlights a contrast between an actual result or situation and a prior assumption or hypothesis. Ludwig confirms this usage across various scientific and academic contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

100%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "than we speculated" is a grammatically correct and usable comparative phrase, primarily found in scientific and academic writing. As Ludwig confirms, it's used to highlight a contrast between observed outcomes and prior assumptions. To ensure clarity, it's essential to provide context regarding what specifically was speculated. While alternatives like "more than we predicted" or "contrary to our expectations" exist, "than we speculated" is well-suited for expressing deviations from expected results in a precise and formal manner.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more than we predicted

Replaces "speculated" with "predicted", emphasizing a formal forecast.

greater than we anticipated

Substitutes "speculated" with "anticipated", suggesting a proactive expectation.

contrary to our expectations

Uses a phrase indicating direct opposition to what was expected.

different from what we envisioned

Focuses on the difference from a mental image or plan.

beyond our initial projections

Emphasizes surpassing a specific quantifiable expectation.

exceeded our initial estimates

Highlights that an initial numerical estimate was surpassed.

at odds with our assumptions

Indicates the current state conflicts with fundamental assumptions.

in contrast to our hypothesis

Highlights a discrepancy from a formulated scientific hypothesis.

unlike what we foresaw

Emphasizes that what happened is not what we expected.

deviated from our original plan

Highlights that something is different from how we expected.

FAQs

What does "than we speculated" mean?

It means that the actual outcome or situation is different from what we previously guessed, hypothesized, or predicted.

What's a formal alternative to "than we speculated"?

A more formal alternative is "more than we predicted", which suggests a carefully considered forecast.

How can I use "than we speculated" in a sentence?

You can use it to compare results against initial predictions, like: "The results were significantly higher "than we thought"" or "The experiment yielded outcomes different "different from what we envisioned"".

Is it always necessary to specify what "we" speculated?

While not always explicitly stated, clarity is improved when the source or nature of the speculation is clear. If not, using a phrase like "contrary to expectations" might be preferable if the expectations are generally understood.