were probed to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were probed to" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to suggest that someone was investigated or examined, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "The subjects were probed to understand their reactions to the stimuli."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

Besides, the electrical resistivities were probed to be 108 Ω cm, as expected in an insulating material.

Surface and Coatings Technology

In this study, 15 VOCs were probed to determine their gas/solid partitioning coefficient (Log Kd) using inverse gas chromatography at different relative humidity (RH) levels.

Journal of Hazardous Materials

Twelve out of the 31 cake samples were probed to be nuc-positive, but only eight were se-positive, and enterotoxigenic S. aureus were collected from them.

Food Microbiology

Twelve (60%) patients with ACO and eight (80%) patients with COPD spontaneously mentioned or were probed to talk about exacerbations.

Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes

Facilitating learning is a characteristic of reformed instruction (Luft and Roehrig, 2007), however, when instructors were probed to elaborate on what they meant by the term "facilitator", stark contrasts with that definition were often revealed.

International Journal of STEM Education

The same membranes also were probed to detect GAPDH as a loading control.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

Then, the mechanical properties of the alloy are probed, to demonstrate the clear advantage of this new materials design strategy.

Nature

Only the zygomatic implants could be probed to analyze the periimplant sulcus.

International Journal of Implant Dentistry

In this study, 53BP1 binding protein was probed to map the DNA DSBs damage.

Cancer Nanotechnology

The teleconnection in forecasting errors is probed to help establish the hybrid regression models for aggregated wind power forecasting systems.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

Beta tubulin expression was probed to ensure equal loading of samples and served as an input control.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "were probed to" in formal writing. Opt for clearer and more grammatically accepted alternatives such as "were investigated to" or "were examined to".

Common error

Using "were probed to" can sound unnatural. Instead, consider using stronger verbs that clearly communicate the action, such as "examined", "investigated", or "analyzed".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were probed to" functions as a passive verb construction, where "probed" ideally suggests a thorough investigation or examination. However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is not grammatically sound and can lead to ambiguity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were probed to" is grammatically awkward and not a recommended phrasing in formal English. While it appears in some scientific and news contexts, according to Ludwig AI, clearer alternatives like "were investigated to" or "were examined to" offer better clarity and precision. The analysis indicates its rarity and the importance of choosing more grammatically sound options to maintain a professional tone. The best practice is to avoid this phrase and opt for stronger verbs that accurately convey the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were investigated to

This alternative replaces "probed" with "investigated", focusing on a formal inquiry or examination.

were examined to

Using "examined" suggests a detailed inspection or analysis was performed.

were analyzed to

"Analyzed" implies a systematic and detailed examination to understand something.

were surveyed to

"Surveyed" indicates a broad overview or general assessment.

were questioned to

This focuses on the act of asking questions to gather information.

were studied to

"Studied" suggests a more in-depth and academic approach to understanding.

were assessed to

"Assessed" implies evaluating or judging the value or quality of something.

were explored to

"Explored" suggests a more open-ended and less structured investigation.

were tested to

This implies a formal test or experiment was conducted.

were checked to

"Checked" suggests a simple verification or confirmation.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "were probed to"?

You can use alternatives like "were investigated to", "were examined to", or "were analyzed to" depending on the context.

Is "were probed to" grammatically correct?

While the phrase "were probed to" appears in some contexts, it's considered grammatically awkward and isn't the clearest way to express the intended meaning. More precise alternatives are generally preferred.

How can I use "were investigated to" in a sentence?

Instead of "The samples were probed to determine their composition", try "The samples were investigated to determine their composition".

What's the difference between "were probed to" and "were examined to"?

"Were examined to" implies a thorough inspection, whereas "were probed to" is a less clear and less common phrasing. "Were examined to" is often a better choice for clarity.