was to be foreseen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was to be foreseen" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing something that could have been anticipated or predicted in the past. Example: "The challenges we faced during the project were significant, but they were not unexpected; they were to be foreseen given the circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

After telling me that in his opinion no tension was to be foreseen in the near future, he added: "We have no intention of attacking Poland". When I pointed out to him that in this case no conflict was to be feared, since Poland was not going to attack Germany, he replied that serious incidents might occur, and quoted, as an example, the possible murder of a German consul.

Yale University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

If the cost of large-scale fructose production is to be foreseen, raw inulin can be a better substitute than pure inulin, which can render the process cost effective.

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

In case that these studies will proof successful, it is to be foreseen that molecular assessment of the relevant markers will have to be implemented into the routine diagnostic setting outside of clinical trials.

Acta Neuropathologica

A red ox was to be sacrificed, its color having been foreseen in the intestines of the previous sacrifice.

The New Yorker

However, the public health impact of this new technology with focus on the financial effect is not yet to be foreseen.

Health Economics Review

Although the biological pretreatment is highly intriguing, the rate of hydrolysis of lignocellulosic fractions is too slow which severely hampers to be foreseen as a potential pretreatment method at an industrial scale (Sun and Cheng 2002).

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

In general, the economic consequences are not to be foreseen.

BMC Pulmonary Medicine

Such seasons must be accepted as something to be foreseen and planned for, and not as an "act of God" to be met by international charities.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

For supervision and implementation support to be effective, sufficient flexibility needs to be foreseen in the project design and implementation arrangements to allow for reallocation of activities, budget lines and use of contingency funds where support needs are identified during supervision and review missions.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

While a certain degree of uncertainty is to be expected in foreseeing future conditions, energy forecasts are typically quite inaccurate in their predictions.

Energy Policy

All investments foreseen are to be allocated to developing resources within and contiguous to blocks with existing discoveries, not toward new exploration efforts (TB Petroleum 2016).

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was to be foreseen" when emphasizing that an event's predictability should have led to prior planning or preventative measures.

Common error

Avoid using "was to be foreseen" in casual conversation or informal writing; simpler alternatives like "was expected" or "could have been predicted" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was to be foreseen" functions as a passive construction indicating that something could or should have been anticipated. Ludwig AI indicates it as correct and usable in written English. Its primary function is to emphasize predictability in a past context.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

27%

Academia

18%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was to be foreseen" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express that something should have been anticipated. While Ludwig confirms its correctness, its usage is relatively rare and leans towards formal contexts such as scientific, academic, and news-related writing. It suggests a missed opportunity for planning or prevention. For more informal communication, simpler alternatives like "was expected" or "could have been predicted" are often more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could have been predicted

Emphasizes the ability to anticipate something based on available information.

should have been anticipated

Highlights an expectation that something ought to have been foreseen, possibly implying negligence.

was predictable

Directly states the foreseeability of an event.

was anticipated

Focuses on the expectation of something happening.

was expected

Indicates that something was likely to happen, without necessarily implying prior planning.

could be expected

Highlights the possibility that something might happen.

was foreseeable

Indicates the inherent capability of being foreseen.

might have been foreseen

Expresses a possibility that something could have been anticipated.

was destined

Suggests inevitability and predetermination.

was unavoidable

Implies that the outcome could not have been prevented.

FAQs

How can I use "was to be foreseen" in a sentence?

Use "was to be foreseen" when you want to emphasize that something should have been anticipated and planned for, such as, "The complications that arose during the surgery "were to be foreseen", given the patient's medical history".

What's a simpler way to say "was to be foreseen"?

Alternatives include "was predictable", "was expected", or "could have been predicted". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "was to be foreseen" formal or informal?

"Was to be foreseen" leans towards a more formal register. In informal settings, phrases like "was coming" or "saw it coming" might be more suitable.

What is the difference between "was to be foreseen" and "was foreseen"?

"Was foreseen" simply means that something was anticipated. "Was to be foreseen" implies that something should have been anticipated, suggesting a missed opportunity for planning or prevention.