Master the Word “Identify”: Learn Identify, Identification, Identifiable, Unidentifiable & Unidentified with Examples
Knowing good vocabulary is important. But knowing a whole word family is a superpower for writing!
Using the perfect word in your sentence will make your ideas clearer and your score higher. Today, let’s master one of the most academic word families: IDENTIFY.
1. IDENTIFY (Verb) – The Base Word
Meaning: To recognize, discover, or establish who or what something is. To find out the true nature of something.
Transcript Example: “They were able to identify the problem and correct it.”
Unique Examples:
- First-year university students often struggle to identify their main weaknesses in academic writing.
- Scientists have finally identified the gene responsible for this rare disease.
- Can you identify the grammar mistake in this IELTS sentence?
Passive Form: Often used as “be identified”
- “He didn’t want to be identified, so he wore a disguise.” (He didn’t want to be recognized)
2. IDENTIFICATION (Noun) – The Process or Proof
Meaning: 1) The act of recognizing something. 2) A document that proves who you are (ID card, passport).
Transcript Example: “He needed to show his identification in order to enter the building.”
Unique Examples:
- Early identification of learning difficulties can help children get support faster.
- The identification number on your admit card did not match the information on record — please check again.
- For airport security, a valid photo identification like NID or passport is mandatory.
3. IDENTIFIABLE (Adjective) – Able to Be Recognized
Meaning: Able to be identified; easy to recognize.
Pro Tip: Learn the collocation “easily identifiable” — examiners love it!
Transcript Example: “The building is easily identifiable by the large front entrance.”
Unique Examples:
- In Rangpur, rickshaws painted with colorful art are easily identifiable from a distance.
- There were no identifiable patterns in the data, which caused confusion among the researchers.
- His writing style is highly identifiable — he always uses short, powerful sentences.
4. UNIDENTIFIABLE (Adjective) – Impossible to Recognize
Meaning: When something cannot be identified because it’s too damaged, unclear, or hidden. The prefix un- = not, but -able here means impossible to do.
Transcript Example: “The remains were unidentifiable after the fire.”
Unique Examples:
- The voice on the phone was unidentifiable due to poor network connection.
- After the storm, several damaged files were unidentifiable and had to be deleted.
- “An unidentifiable error has occurred” — this common computer message means the system cannot recognize what went wrong.
5. UNIDENTIFIED (Adjective) – Not Yet Identified
Meaning: Not yet identified; identity is still unknown. This is temporary — maybe we WILL know later!
This is the difference that confuses many students:
UNIDENTIFIABLE = Can NEVER be identified (Impossible)
UNIDENTIFIED = Has NOT YET been identified (Unknown for now)
Transcript Example: “There were many unidentified issues that needed to be addressed.”
Unique Examples:
- The police are still looking for the unidentified person who left the bag at the station.
- The previously unidentified reason for the app’s crash was a missing line of code.
- Scientists discovered several unidentified species in the Amazon rainforest — they are new to science!
Master Comparison Table
| Word | Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify | Verb | To recognize / discover what something is | Identify the problem |
| Identification | Noun | Process of recognizing / ID card | Show your identification |
| Identifiable | Adjective | Able to be recognized | Easily identifiable logo |
| Unidentifiable | Adjective | Impossible to recognize ever | Unidentifiable remains |
| Unidentified | Adjective | Not yet recognized, still unknown | Unidentified flying object (UFO) |
Final Practice: Choose the Right Word!
- You need to show your ____ (identify) to enter the exam hall.
- The signature was ____ (identifiable) because the ink was smudged.
- The company needs to ____ (identify) its target customers before launching ads.
Comment your answers on Advanced English Lab — I’ll check them for you!
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