was able to found

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was able to found" is not correct in standard written English. It should be replaced with "was able to found" when referring to the act of establishing something, but it is not commonly used. An example could be: "She was able to found a successful startup." Alternative expressions include "managed to establish" and "was able to set up."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But he revitalized one of the most violent junior high schools in the South Bronx and with the strong backing of both Klein and Randi Weingarten, the president of the teachers' union, he was able to found his brainchild, The New American Academy.

The New York Times

Although CEUS was able to found significant changes in cortical perfusion, responses across patients were heterogeneous, unpredictable and of unclear relationship with patients' characteristics [29, 30].

Critical Ultrasound Journal

Using his professional connections with the former State-owned record label Amiga in the DDR he was able to found his own label MFS, which he has used to develop the minimal robotics of techno into something warmer and more melodic.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

He was able to find a piece of cardboard".

The New York Times

"I was able to find another gear," Clemens said.

The New York Times - Sports

"I was able to find the spot," he said.

The New York Times - Sports

Fábregas in particular was able to find too much space.

The Guardian - Sport

"I was able to find those cutback lanes," Bradshaw said.

The New York Times - Sports

"He was able to find something within him.

The New York Times - Sports

Adobe was able to find success in earlier hard times.

The New York Times

I was able to find only one Brother near Abydos.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was able to found" only when referring to the establishment of an institution, organization or company. Ensure that the subject is an architect, creator or entrepreneur.

Common error

Do not use 'found' as the base form of 'find'. In the construction 'was able to + verb', the verb must be in its infinitive form. If you mean to say someone located something, use "was able to find". 'Found' is only used in this position if it means 'to establish'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was able to found" functions as a past tense modal construction expressing capability. It consists of the past form of 'to be', the adjective 'able', and the infinitive 'to found'. According to Ludwig, while the verb 'to found' (meaning to establish) is a legitimate base form, it is significantly rarer than 'to find'.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

0.5%

Social Media

0.3%

Encyclopedias

0.2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was able to found" is a highly specific linguistic construction that is often flagged as an error. As Ludwig AI notes, it should only be used when the intended meaning is 'to establish' or 'to start' an organization. Most users actually intend to use ""was able to find"", which refers to locating something. In the rare instances where it is used correctly—such as in The New York Times to describe creating a new academy—it carries a formal tone. However, for most writing situations, using the direct verb "founded" or the alternative "managed to establish" is recommended to avoid being mistaken for a typo.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was able to find

The most common intended meaning when users mistakenly write 'found'.

managed to establish

A more common way to express the successful creation of an organization.

succeeded in founding

Emphasizes the successful outcome of the effort to start a business or label.

was able to set up

Uses a more informal phrasal verb instead of the formal 'found'.

was able to start

A simple and clear alternative for beginning an enterprise.

could establish

Replaces the 'be able to' construction with the modal verb 'could'.

was able to create

A broader alternative that works for both tangible and intangible results.

founded

The simple past tense, which is usually more direct and natural in writing.

was able to organize

Specific to the structuring phase of starting something new.

was able to detect

Often the intended meaning in scientific contexts instead of 'find'.

FAQs

Is "was able to found" grammatically correct?

It is only correct if 'found' means 'to establish' (e.g., starting a company). According to Ludwig AI, it is often a mistake for ""was able to find"" when users are describing the act of locating something.

What is the difference between "was able to found" and "was able to find"?

The phrase "was able to found" means someone had the capacity to establish an organization. In contrast, ""was able to find"" means someone managed to locate an object or information.

Can I use "was able to found" in a scientific paper?

Rarely. In scientific contexts, it is usually a typo for ""was able to find"" or "was able to detect". Only use it if you are describing the literal founding of a laboratory or institute.

What can I say instead of "was able to found" for a business?

You can use clearer alternatives like "managed to establish", "was able to start", or simply "founded".