seem incorrect vs seem to be incorrect

Both "seem incorrect" and "seem to be incorrect" are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. "Seem incorrect" is more concise and direct, while "seem to be incorrect" is more formal and emphasizes the action of being incorrect.

Last updated: March 23, 2024

seem incorrect

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase is used to express the perception that something is not correct or accurate.

Examples:

The results seem incorrect.
Her explanation seems incorrect.
The data seems incorrect.

Show examples from the web [+]

The proposed budget's repartition seems incorrect.
It seems that this was done in an incorrect manner, which has led the Commission to issue a reasoned opinion to the Spanish Government.
But for Jesus, it seems to 2 points are incorrect history.
However, we have voted against paragraphs 2 and 6, because they seem to us to be legally incorrect.
It seems that these stocks are the result of incorrect assessments of available stocks and of consumption in certain Member has given rise to unusual trade flows.
If you want to know why we unerringly seem to get China wrong - our predictions about what's going to happen to China are incorrect - this is the reason.
I do not question our right as citizens to address complaints to Parliament, but the practice seems to me to be politically incorrect and is sometimes used for the purposes of agitation.
The incorrect alternatives shall seem equally plausible to anyone ignorant of the subject.
If you start with incorrect assumptions, in other words, that disputing the first instance in detail will save costs in subsequent instances, it will automatically seem as if all Member States have poor first-instance procedures.
It seems to me, therefore, that the assessment is unrealistic, incorrect and unprofessional and does not provide the motivation for institutions or citizens of that country to be more successful in getting closer to the European Union.
Now I'm going to tell it to you, and it's going to seem obvious that that is correct, and that's the point, right? Then I'm going to have to make an argument why you're incorrect about the other assumption.
It seems that your graphics card does not have a fan, or that it is not possible to control it using the aticonfig tool. The fan controlling and monitoring capability of this program has been disabled. If this is incorrect, please send a bug report.
We were also able to agree with something else, which seems to me no less important - we were able to agree that remuneration policy, although undoubtedly incorrect, was not the main cause, and certainly not the only cause, of the financial crisis.

Alternatives:

appear incorrect
look incorrect
sound incorrect
come across as incorrect
give the impression of being incorrect

seem to be incorrect

This phrase is correct and slightly more formal than "seem incorrect."

This phrase is used when you want to emphasize the action of being incorrect in a more formal context.