we investigate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we investigate" is correct and usable in written English
You can use it when talking about researching, analyzing, or examining something. Example: We investigate the incident to find out what caused the problem.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We investigate all leaks".

The Guardian - Tech

When people complain, we investigate".

The Guardian - Business

Thanks for your patience as we investigate.

Independent

"What we investigate is plagiarism and forgery.

The New Yorker

Here we investigate these two possibilities.

Nature

We investigate the algorithmic aspects of SGP.

University of California, Berkeley

We investigate this problem herein.

Artificial Intelligence

"When a stock is trashed, we investigate," he said.

The New York Times

Here, we investigate miRNAs in relation to AD response.

Nature

Here we investigate how mesoderm specifies into blood-fated cells.

Nature

And I want to stress this point: We investigate.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In investigative journalism, use this phrase to establish a sense of authority and transparent commitment to the truth.

Common error

Do not use "we investigate" when referring to an action that has already concluded. In a results section or final report, the past tense "we investigated" is required to accurately reflect the timeline of the work.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we investigate" serves as an active voice, present tense declarative statement. It identifies the speakers as agents performing a systematic inquiry. According to Ludwig AI, this structure is grammatically correct and serves as a standard way to introduce a process or inquiry across professional fields.

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Social Media

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we investigate" is a versatile and correct English phrase used to denote active research and systematic inquiry. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a standard expression that is most prevalent in scientific literature and investigative journalism. It highlights the active role of the researchers and is often preferred for its clarity. Users should favor this construction over passive alternatives like "is investigated" to ensure directness. While it is synonymous with "we examine" or "we analyze", it remains a primary choice for high-authority institutions such as UC Berkeley and The New York Times due to its rigorous connotations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we examine

suggests a closer and more detailed look at a specific subject

we look into

sounds more informal and conversational than the original phrase

we explore

implies searching through a broader territory or set of ideas

we scrutinize

emphasizes a critical and extremely rigorous inspection

we analyze

focuses on breaking down complex components for understanding

we conduct an inquiry

suggests a formal or official investigation process

we probe

implies searching specifically for hidden or deep information

we research

focuses on a systematic and often academic scholarly study

we inspect

implies checking for physical flaws or compliance with rules

we audit

focuses on the verification of financial or process records

FAQs

How do I use "we investigate" in a sentence?

You can use it as a direct statement of active research, such as: "In this paper, "we investigate" the correlation between sleep patterns and cognitive performance".

What can I say instead of "we investigate"?

Depending on your specific tone, you might use "we examine", "we scrutinize" or "we research".

Is it better to say "we investigate" or "we are investigating"?

Use "we investigate" for a general or recurring action and use ""we are investigating"" to emphasize that the process is currently ongoing at this exact moment.

Is the phrase "we investigate" formal enough for academic journals?

Yes, it is highly formal and commonly used in methodology sections. If you wish to sound even more clinical, you might consider "the study examines" as a third-person alternative.