was unable to conclude

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was unable to conclude" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that someone or something could not reach a decision or finish a thought or argument. Example: "After reviewing all the evidence, the committee was unable to conclude whether the proposal should be approved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Sportech chief executive Ian Penrose said: Burlywood was unable to conclude the transaction set out within their proposal which we announced in September.

The Guardian - Business

"Ofcom was unable to conclude definitively whether or not the substitution took place as a result of either the alleged booking condition or the alleged involvement of ITV or the ITV Network," the regulator said.

The Guardian

But the Justice Department took snapshots of the local markets, and because the companies were not already competing, it was unable to conclude that the deal would impede competition.

The New York Times

In virtually every case I saw recently the panel was unable to conclude the review at the first hearing, because of deficiencies in what should have been included in the paperwork.

Vice

After today's ruling, the New York Times reported that the panel "was unable to conclude that hyperandrogenic female athletes may benefit from such a significant performance advantage that it is necessary to exclude them from competing in the female category".

Vice

Unfortunately this is the same sect of the RCMP that was unable to conclude Amanda Todd was blackmailed by sexual extortionists, as well as bullied and as a result of their failure, they let that case die out.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"We were unable to conclude," it said, "whether the 2001 transition was worse than previous ones".

The New York Times

It's also fair to say that Yasir Arafat is unable to conclude a permanent agreement at this time.

The New York Times

He continued: "I have been unable to conclude otherwise than that, when they were not totally useless, perfidious, and parasitic, they were unspeakably barbaric".

The New York Times

Each of these terms refers to specific provisions on which we have been unable to conclude fully in the past," the French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said on Monday.

The Guardian

The state rested its case on Tuesday after two forensic investigators testified a sample taken from the girl's underwear matched Labrie's DNA profile but they were unable to conclude it was his sperm.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was unable to conclude", ensure that the reason for the inability to reach a conclusion is clear from the context.

Common error

Avoid using "was unable to conclude" without specifying who or what "was unable" to conclude. Always provide a clear subject.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was unable to conclude" functions as a predicate, expressing an inability to finalize or determine something. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. Examples show its use in contexts where a final determination could not be reached due to various factors.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was unable to conclude" is a grammatically sound and useful expression for indicating that a final decision or determination could not be reached. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness, and it is commonly found in news, scientific, and formal business contexts. While it is not incorrect to use this phrase, it's important to ensure clarity in your writing by explicitly stating who or what was unable to conclude and why. Consider using alternatives like "could not determine" or "failed to decide" to better fit your context or tone. The phrase has a neutral to formal register, aligning with its frequent appearance in professional and academic sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

could not determine

Indicates a lack of certainty or ability to ascertain something.

failed to decide

Emphasizes the lack of a decision being made.

could not ascertain

Highlights the inability to find something out for certain.

did not reach a decision

Focuses on the absence of a final resolution.

was not able to decide

More formal phrasing conveying an inability to make a decision.

couldn't come to a conclusion

More colloquial way of saying a conclusion wasn't reached.

failed to resolve

Focuses on the failure to bring something to a conclusion or settlement.

did not manage to decide

Emphasizes the lack of success in making a decision.

stopped short of concluding

Implies that the process of concluding was interrupted.

did not achieve a consensus

Highlights that no agreement was reached, often in a group setting.

FAQs

How to use "was unable to conclude" in a sentence?

Use "was unable to conclude" to indicate that a person or group could not reach a decision or final understanding, as in, "The committee "was unable to conclude" whether to approve the project".

What can I say instead of "was unable to conclude"?

You can use alternatives like "could not determine", "failed to decide", or "did not reach a decision" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "could not conclude" or "was unable to conclude"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "was unable to conclude" is often perceived as more formal. The choice depends on the context and desired tone. Consider using simpler alternatives like "could not determine" for less formal situations.

What does it mean when a report says "was unable to conclude"?

It typically means that after reviewing the available information, the authors of the report could not reach a definitive conclusion or determination due to insufficient evidence, conflicting data, or other limitations.