was not understandable

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence 'was not understandable' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to emphasize that something was not comprehensible or easily understood. For example: The directions the teacher gave were not understandable.

✓ Grammatically correct

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This item 1 had a low comprehensibility, and an appropriateness slightly lower than 3, probably because the question was not understandable.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

But even if the book publishers' actions were illegal, that's not to suggest what they did wasn't understandable.

The New Yorker

On the other hand, what certainly wasn't understandable was Doha's response to the joint statement.

Huffington Post

But first, more discussion on contraception, an issue that I now understand only affects the election hopes of President Obama and is not understandable as an issue that impacts ordinary Americans.

Huffington Post

The confusion is not understandable.

The Guardian - Film

"The words are not understandable by humans".

The New York Times

That is not understandable to me.

The Guardian - Sport

The religious divide is not understandable.

The Guardian - Opinion

What's not understandable, however, is how he's dealing with it.

The New York Times

It's not pretty, it's not understandable to a lot of people".

The New York Times

It's not that the frustration and the defensiveness are not understandable.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was not understandable", ensure the context clearly indicates what specific aspect was difficult to understand. Providing further explanation enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "was not understandable" in overly complex sentences. Break down the sentence or rephrase to improve readability and ensure your message is easily understood.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was not understandable" functions as a predicate adjective, describing a subject's quality of being incomprehensible or lacking clarity. It qualifies what something is like in terms of understandability, as Ludwig AI confirms.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was not understandable" effectively communicates a lack of clarity or comprehensibility. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness and common usage across various sources. While straightforward, consider the context to ensure clarity and avoid overuse in overly complex sentences. Alternative phrases like "was not comprehensible" or "was not intelligible" can offer a more formal tone. Pay attention to subject-verb agreement when using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was not comprehensible

This alternative focuses on the inability to grasp the meaning.

was not intelligible

This option highlights the lack of ability to be understood.

was not clear

This alternative emphasizes the absence of clarity or distinctness.

was beyond comprehension

Emphasizes that the subject exceeded the limits of understanding.

was not self-explanatory

Highlights the need for additional information to understand the subject.

was not decipherable

This alternative implies that understanding requires effort to decode.

was not easily grasped

Highlights difficulty in understanding the subject quickly or easily.

was not fathomable

This suggests the situation was too deep or complex to grasp.

was not obvious

Focuses on the lack of immediate or apparent understanding.

was not transparent

Suggests a lack of clarity or openness in the subject matter.

FAQs

How can I use "was not understandable" in a sentence?

You can use "was not understandable" to describe something that lacked clarity or was difficult to comprehend. For example, "The instructions were so poorly written that they was not understandable".

What is a formal alternative to "was not understandable"?

A more formal alternative to "was not understandable" could be "was not intelligible". This maintains a professional tone while conveying the same meaning.

Which is correct: "was not understandable" or "were not understandable"?

The correct form depends on the subject's number. Use "was not understandable" with singular subjects (e.g., "The explanation was not understandable"). Use "were not understandable" with plural subjects (e.g., "The instructions were not understandable").

What does it mean if something "was not understandable"?

If something "was not understandable", it means it lacked clarity, coherence, or logical structure, making it difficult or impossible for someone to grasp its meaning or significance.