were at understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were at understanding" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an attempt to convey a state of comprehension or agreement, but it is not a commonly used expression. Example: "They were at understanding about the project's goals after the meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We are no better, or worse, at understanding Iraq from instant video than the Brits were at understanding America from salty, soggy mail.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Because all the calculations are done in the cloud, the more they hear, the better they are at understanding.

The Guardian - Tech

Beyond the confines of therapy, the rise of Trump has demonstrated more broadly how bad we are at understanding politics in psychological terms.

The Guardian

One thing that is quite interesting to me is how poor western governments are at the moment – and I don't exempt mine from this– how poor they are at understanding what's going on in the world".

The Guardian

The more adept you are at understanding each other's needs, the better the relationship fares.

Science Magazine

To me, the Europeans tend to be much better than we North Americans are at understanding the forces at play as societies evolve.

Huffington Post

What has become a persistent feature in recent events surrounding the venue, though, is just how clueless the police are at understanding what night clubs are and why people might want to go to them.

Vice

"We want our dogs to nose the iPad on cue," explains Grossman firmly, "because if you can master that, the better she'll be at understanding you when you need to teach important stuff".

The Guardian - Tech

Our previous studies were aimed at understanding the role of MYC in cells exposed to conventional DNA damaging cytotoxic drugs.

Plosone

The interviews were aimed at understanding the presentation and progression of the disease from the caretaker's perspective.

BMC Pediatrics

You can ask Siri extra things, and s/he's better at understanding what you're saying.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the ungrammatical phrase "were at understanding", opt for established expressions like "were good at understanding" or "had an understanding of" to ensure clarity and correctness.

Common error

A common mistake is to incorrectly pair prepositions with verbs or nouns. In this case, using "at" after "were" to indicate understanding is grammatically incorrect. Always double-check preposition usage to maintain grammatical accuracy. Instead, rely on options like using 'good at', 'skilled at' or 'had an understanding of'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were at understanding" attempts to describe a state of comprehension or skill. However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct usage would involve alternative phrases.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were at understanding" is grammatically incorrect and not recommended for use in standard written English. Ludwig AI confirms its incorrectness. While the intention is to express comprehension or skill, it's best to use grammatically sound alternatives like "were good at understanding", "had an understanding of", or simply "understood". These alternatives ensure clarity and correctness in both formal and informal contexts. Pay close attention to preposition usage to avoid similar errors and maintain the credibility of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were good at understanding

Replaces "at" with "good at", offering a simpler and more common way to express proficiency in understanding.

were adept at understanding

Replaces "at" with "adept at", highlighting a natural talent or skill in understanding.

were skilled at understanding

Substitutes "at" with "skilled at", resulting in a grammatically sound expression denoting expertise in understanding.

were proficient in understanding

Substitutes "at" with "proficient in", emphasizing a high level of skill in understanding.

were capable of understanding

Replaces "at" with "capable of", creating a grammatically correct phrase that indicates an ability to understand.

were experienced in understanding

Changes "at" to "experienced in" highlighting knowledge that has been derived from direct observation or participation in events.

had an understanding of

Restructures the phrase to use "had an understanding of", which is a grammatically correct and widely used expression.

were well-versed in understanding

Swaps "at" to "well-versed in" suggesting a complete and detailed knowledge of a particular subject.

understood

Provides a concise and direct alternative, conveying the meaning of comprehension in a single word.

were knowledgeable about

Replaces the entire phrase with "were knowledgeable about", shifting the focus to possessing knowledge rather than the act of understanding.

FAQs

How can I correctly express the idea of someone being skilled at understanding something?

Instead of "were at understanding", use phrases like "were good at understanding", "were skilled at understanding", or "had an understanding of".

What's wrong with the phrase "were at understanding"?

The phrase "were at understanding" is grammatically incorrect. The correct way to express this idea is to use phrases like "were good at understanding" or "had an understanding of".

Is there a more concise way to say "were at understanding"?

Yes, you can use the simple verb "understood" to convey the same meaning in a more direct and grammatically correct way.

Which is correct, "were at understanding" or "were good at understanding"?

"Were good at understanding" is the correct and grammatically sound option. Avoid using "were at understanding".