to clearly specify

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to clearly specify" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize the importance of being explicit or precise in communication or instructions. Example: "In order to avoid any misunderstandings, it is essential to clearly specify the requirements for the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Working with experts, this research used ISM to clearly specify an engineering risk factor relationship represented by a cause effect diagram, which forms the structure of the BN.

Reliability Engineering & System Safety

There is the ability to clearly specify how critical requirement levels should change over time and any changes to these numeric values are clearly visible to all.

Competitive Engineering A Handbook for Systems Engineering Requirements Engineering, and Software Engineering Using Planguage

If the parties involved in the Chrysler negotiation had taken this step, they may have noticed that they had failed to clearly specify how the automaker should be valued in the future.

Harvard University

"It is uncommon to find wealth management products that fail to clearly specify the underlying securitized assets," it said, adding that a regulation issued last year "clearly states that W.M.P. prospectuses must indicate how the money is being used, and the percentage of money that is being put into each asset class".

The New York Times

Instead, the FBI is offering what some people have called a grand bargain — where A gives something of concrete value to B, but B is not required to clearly specify what A will receive in return.

TechCrunch

Multi-count indictments threaten heavy prison terms; witnesses "flip" and testify according to the government's script; and judges permit convictions for supposed violations of criminal statutes that fail to clearly specify the law's expectations, among other pressure points.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Any mechanism used to cull enrollments should operate according to clearly specified rules that are announced in advance and are widely publicized.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

There is no absolute external validity; the term is meaningful only with regard to clearly specified conditions that were not directly examined in the trial.

British Medical Journal

Regulatory cooperation between the US and the EU should therefore be limited to clearly specified sectorial areas.

European Parliament

In addition to focusing on psychopathology and personality features in both incarcerated and non-detained juvenile delinquents there is also a need to more clearly specify the type of offenders to whom the observed abnormal features most strongly apply.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

Further research is needed to more clearly specify and ameliorate the negative effects of treatment on wellbeing, considering the potential for problems to reflect burdens related to sensorial (e.g., pain), psychosocial (e.g., fear), and physiologic (e.g., rash) aspects of treatment – which may require different responses.

Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing instructions or requirements, use "to clearly specify" to ensure there are no misunderstandings. For example, "To clearly specify the project scope, include a detailed list of deliverables."

Common error

Avoid using "to clearly specify" in contexts where the need for clarity is already implied. For example, instead of "It is important to clearly specify the details," simply write "Specify the details."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to clearly specify" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose. It modifies a verb, indicating the reason or intention behind an action. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to clearly specify" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed infinitive phrase used to emphasize the importance of explicitness and precision in communication. Ludwig confirms that it is correct and usable. It appears across various contexts, particularly in scientific, news, and business settings. To avoid redundancy, it is important to use it where clarity needs to be emphasized and to choose it over alternatives like "to explicitly state" or "to precisely define" based on the specific context and desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to explicitly state

Focuses on directness and leaving no room for interpretation.

to precisely define

Emphasizes accuracy and the establishment of boundaries or limits.

to unambiguously articulate

Highlights the clarity and lack of ambiguity in the expression.

to clearly delineate

Suggests marking boundaries or outlining something distinctly.

to spell out explicitly

Implies providing every detail in a very direct and unmistakable way.

to stipulate precisely

Indicates a formal requirement or condition that is set forth in detail.

to make unequivocally clear

Emphasizes the removal of any doubt or uncertainty.

to set out distinctly

Focuses on arranging or presenting information in an organized and easily understood manner.

to state without vagueness

Highlights the avoidance of ambiguity or generality in the statement.

to express definitely

Stresses the decisiveness and certainty of the expression.

FAQs

How can I use "to clearly specify" in a sentence?

You can use "to clearly specify" when you want to emphasize the importance of being explicit and precise about something. For example, "The contract needs "to clearly specify" the payment terms."

What are some alternatives to "to clearly specify"?

Some alternatives include "to explicitly state", "to precisely define", or "to unambiguously articulate", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "clearly specify"?

While "clearly specify" is acceptable, you can consider using only "specify" if the context already implies the need for clarity. However, "to clearly specify" is helpful for emphasis.

What's the difference between "to clearly specify" and "to define"?

"To define" sets the meaning or scope, while "to clearly specify" emphasizes making something explicit and detailed. Specifying goes further in providing precise details; defining is a broader term.