working to comprehend

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "working to comprehend" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the effort or process of trying to understand something. Example: "I am currently working to comprehend the complex theories presented in the textbook."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The reality is that we were, and remain, all in this trust war together, whether we are peacefully protesting on the streets of Ferguson or New York, communicating the story behind the news desk, or working to comprehend the situation from afar.

Huffington Post

That way, you are already working to comprehend the material.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It is best to work to comprehend cybersecurity in its full complexity, but complex systems are hardly intuitive.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The machines produce Z-pinches, in which electric currents produce a magnetic field that compresses the plasma, giving it new properties that scientists are still working to fully comprehend.

Cornell University

And indeed, those who had to work harder to comprehend the questionnaire rated their religious beliefs lower.

Science Magazine

This process involves having functional groups within the same highway agency working across silos to comprehend and integrate agency-wide thinking; the key to this process being information flow.

Visualization in Engineering

Though these works aren't insignificant in their own right, to read them without recourse to their authors' larger bodies of work is to comprehend a complex organism only from its vestigial limbs.

The New York Times - Books

He praised the "striking clarity of construction" and found the work "comparatively easy to comprehend".

The New York Times - Arts

However, more knowledge is needed to deeply understand this influence in order to comprehend how it works and how can it be improved.

Procedia Computer Science

Access to unprecedented amounts of information is creating new opportunities for Duke students and faculty, working together in multidisciplinary teams, to comprehend and to change the world around them.

Duke University

In other works technicians and engineers have expressed their opinions about the current IPv6 notation with words like "pretty long"[7] "a bit unwieldy"[4], "ugly", "untidy", "awkward" and "difficult to comprehend and work with".

Journal of Cloud Computing: Advances, Systems and Applications

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "working to comprehend", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being understood. Providing specific details enhances clarity and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid embedding "working to comprehend" within overly complex sentence structures. This can obscure the intended meaning and make the sentence difficult to follow. Aim for simpler sentence constructions for better readability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "working to comprehend" functions as a verb phrase, specifically a present participle phrase acting as an adjective or part of a continuous verb tense. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it describes an ongoing effort to understand something.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "working to comprehend" is a grammatically correct and relatively common phrase used to describe an active, ongoing effort to understand something. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability in written English. It finds its place across diverse contexts, including news, academia, and science. While adaptable to both formal and informal communication, it carries a predominantly neutral tone. To enhance clarity, it is best used in simple sentence structures that explicitly state the subject of comprehension. Common alternatives include "striving to understand" and "attempting to grasp".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

striving to understand

Emphasizes effort and determination in the process of understanding.

attempting to grasp

Highlights the act of trying to seize or understand something abstract.

endeavoring to comprehend

Suggests a more formal and earnest attempt at understanding.

seeking to understand

Focuses on the pursuit and intention of gaining understanding.

trying to figure out

Offers a more informal way to describe the process of understanding.

making an effort to understand

Emphasizes the conscious effort being made to achieve comprehension.

exerting effort to grasp

Highlights the energy and effort put into understanding something.

aiming to comprehend

Focuses on the goal-oriented nature of the understanding process.

laboring to understand

Conveys a sense of difficulty and hard work in the process of understanding.

grappling with understanding

Implies a struggle or challenge in achieving comprehension.

FAQs

How can I use "working to comprehend" in a sentence?

You can use "working to comprehend" to describe the active process of trying to understand something, as in "Scientists are "working to comprehend" the effects of climate change".

What phrases are similar to "working to comprehend"?

Similar phrases include "striving to understand", "attempting to grasp", and "seeking to understand", which all convey the effort of understanding something.

Is "working to comprehend" formal or informal?

"Working to comprehend" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, depending on the surrounding language and the specific situation.

What's the difference between "trying to understand" and "working to comprehend"?

"Trying to understand" is a more general term, while "working to comprehend" implies a more deliberate and sustained effort to achieve understanding. The latter suggests active engagement and focused attention.