"appear" vs "appear to"

Question

"appear" vs "appear to"

Both 'appear' and 'appear to' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Appear' is used when describing how something looks or seems, while 'appear to' is used when expressing an opinion or belief about something. It's important to choose the correct one based on the intended meaning.

Last Updated: March 26, 2024

Use 'appear' when describing how something looks or seems. For example, 'The sun appears bright in the sky.'

Examples:

The magician made a rabbit appear out of a hat.
She appeared tired after a long day at work.
The island appears to be uninhabited.
The stars appear to twinkle in the night sky.
The situation appears to be under control.

Alternatives:

seem
look like
give the impression of
come across as
show signs of

Use 'appear to' when expressing an opinion or belief about something. For example, 'She appears to be upset about something.'

Examples:

He appears to have lost weight recently.
The project appears to be moving forward smoothly.
The cat appears to be sleeping peacefully.
The data appears to support the hypothesis.
She appears to be a talented musician.

Alternatives:

seem to
look like
give the impression of being
come across as being
show signs of being

Answer 1

appear

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

appear to

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"appear" vs "appear to"

appear

appear to

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