there seems a

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "there seems a" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used to express an observation or perception about a situation, but it requires a noun or noun phrase to follow it for clarity. Example: "There seems a lack of communication among the team."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Blaming it on the war, the things I'd seen and done there, seems a cop-out and a cliché, but maybe there's something to it.

The New York Times

And for every time it's mentioned there seems a new definition of what it means.

Forbes

Mystery and intrigue may be synonymous with the city of Venice, but the latest imbroglio between politicians and preservationists there seems a little more ham-handed.

Huffington Post

Yet there seems a possibility that Pres.

The New Yorker

In these cases, there seems a beneficial effect of a combined treatment consisting of resection and local tumour ablation.

European Journal of Cancer

There seems a trend for the two technologies to go hand-in-hand in providing an enterprise's IT services.

Computer Networks

But there seems a fair chance it will, eventually, sell comfortably more than this.

The Economist

But among young writers, there seems a shortage of critics unhampered by excessive good manners.

The New York Times

However, there seems a real reluctance to invest in and integrate credible, community-based programmes.

The Guardian

There seems a moral to be drawn from it, however, that has been missed.

Nature

Individual horror stories have emerged at times, there seems a nearly inexhaustible supply.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always follow "there seems" with "to be" before introducing a noun or adjective. This ensures grammatical correctness and clarity in your writing. For example: "There seems to be a problem" is correct, whereas "There seems a problem" is not.

Common error

A frequent mistake is omitting "to be" after "there seems". Avoid this by remembering that "there seems" functions as an introductory phrase requiring a verb to link it to the subject. Instead of writing "There seems a lack of interest", write "There seems to be a lack of interest".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there seems a" serves as an introductory expression indicating an observation or perception. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically incomplete without a linking verb like "to be". The correct construction is "there seems to be a".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

29%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "there seems a" is a frequently encountered expression intended to convey an observation or assessment. However, according to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically incorrect and requires the addition of "to be" to form a complete and correct sentence. The expression is versatile, appearing across various contexts such as news, scientific literature, and academic discourse, while maintaining a neutral tone. Remember to use the correct form, "there seems to be a", in your writing to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there appears to be a

Replaces "seems" with "appears" and adds "to be" for grammatical accuracy.

there seems to be a

Adds "to be" to correct the grammatical structure.

it seems that there is a

Introduces "it seems that" for a more formal and grammatically sound construction.

it appears that there is a

Combines the formality of "it appears that" with the existence of something.

there is apparently a

Uses "apparently" to convey a sense of observation or inference.

there evidently is a

Uses "evidently" to suggest clear or obvious evidence.

it would seem that there is a

Adds a conditional tone, suggesting a tentative observation.

there may be a

Expresses the possibility of something existing.

it is likely that there is a

Emphasizes the probability of something existing.

a possibility exists that there is a

Rephrases to highlight the existence of a possibility.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the phrase "there seems a"?

The phrase "there seems a" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "there seems to be a". For example, instead of saying "There seems a problem", you should say "there seems to be a problem".

What are some alternatives to the phrase "there seems a"?

Since "there seems a" is grammatically incorrect, you can use alternatives like "there appears to be a", "it seems that there is a", or simply "there may be a" depending on the context.

Is "there seems a" ever grammatically correct?

No, "there seems a" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It always requires the addition of "to be" to form a grammatically sound sentence. The structure "there seems to be a" is the appropriate form.

What's the difference between "there seems a" and "there seems to be a"?

The phrase "there seems a" is grammatically incorrect, while "there seems to be a" is the correct way to express that something appears to exist or is the case. The addition of "to be" provides the necessary verb to complete the sentence structure.