were not able to find

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were not able to find" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when referring to a failed attempt to locate something. For example, "We looked everywhere but we were not able to find the missing keys."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"Thank God they were not able to find anything else".

The New York Times

On Sunday, the Rangers were not able to find a way to do so.

The New York Times - Sports

"So we were not able to find out how it was locking us out".

The Guardian

"We were not able to find the source," Ms. Kelson said.

The New York Times

But the police were not able to find the younger Mr. Bagga.

The New York Times

But they were not able to find anyone who would confess to it.

The New York Times

"We were not able to find any other large city with five," he said.

The New York Times

Sazerac has also issued a superb 18-year-old rye, which we were not able to find for the tasting.

The New York Times - Food

Hence, we were not able to find any suitable external instrumental variables in our data.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

In our study, we were not able to find this reduction in SvcO2.

Annals of Intensive Care

We were not able to find stable adsorption sites of H2O2 on the studied surfaces.

International Journal of Industrial Chemistry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were not able to find", ensure the context clearly indicates what was being searched for and why the search was unsuccessful. Be specific about the search methods and limitations.

Common error

Avoid using "were not able to find" excessively in passive constructions. Consider rephrasing to an active voice for a more direct and engaging tone. For instance, instead of "The error was not able to be found", try "We could not find the error".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not able to find" functions as a verbal phrase expressing an inability or failure to locate something. It indicates a lack of success in a search or discovery process. Ludwig AI examples confirm its widespread use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

37%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were not able to find" is a versatile phrase used to express the unsuccessful outcome of a search or investigation. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. It's particularly prevalent in scientific and news-related writing. While "couldn't find" provides a more concise alternative, "were not able to find" offers a slightly more formal tone when needed. Remember to avoid overuse in passive constructions for clearer and more engaging writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

couldn't locate

Replaces "were not able" with "couldn't", a more concise way of expressing inability; "find" is replaced with the synonym "locate".

were unable to locate

Substitutes "able" with "unable" and "find" with "locate", maintaining a similar level of formality.

failed to discover

Substitutes "were not able to" with "failed to", emphasizing the lack of success in finding something. "Find" is replaced with the synonym "discover".

did not manage to find

Replaces "were not able" with "did not manage", highlighting the lack of success despite effort; "find" remains the same.

were unsuccessful in finding

Rephrases the entire expression to emphasize the lack of success in the action of finding; uses the adjective "unsuccessful".

did not detect

Uses "detect" to imply the inability to find or notice something, typically in a scientific or technical context.

proved impossible to find

Shifts the focus to the impossibility of finding something, rather than the inability of the searchers.

could not turn up

Uses the phrasal verb "turn up" in place of "find", implying that something didn't appear or become available.

nothing could be found

Emphasizes the absence of anything to be found, shifting the focus from the searchers to the object being searched for.

were unable to unearth

Replaces "find" with "unearth", which suggests uncovering something hidden or buried.

FAQs

What is a simpler way to say "were not able to find"?

You can use simpler alternatives such as "couldn't find" or "didn't find" depending on the context.

How can I use "were not able to find" in a sentence?

Use "were not able to find" when you want to express that a search or attempt to locate something was unsuccessful. For example, "Despite searching for hours, we were not able to find the missing document."

What's the difference between "were not able to find" and "could not find"?

While both phrases convey the same meaning, "were not able to find" is slightly more formal than "could not find". The choice depends on the desired tone and context.

Is "was not able to find" grammatically correct?

Yes, "was not able to find" is grammatically correct, but it is used with a singular subject. "Were not able to find" is used with plural subjects or the pronoun "you".