appears to

What you'll learn

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to use "appears to" to describe what seems true based on what you can see.

When do I use it?

"Appears to" means "it seems, based on the evidence available":

"The package appears to be lost."
"She appears to have finished the report."
"The machine appears to be working again."

It is a hedge: you describe the impression, not a proven fact. Use it to be accurate and cautious in reports and emails.

How do I form it?

Structure

subject + appears to + base verb subject + appears to have + past participle (past)

The file appears to be corrupt.
He appears to understand the problem.
They appear to have left already.
The error appears to have been fixed.

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Warning

Spanish "parece que" takes a clause ("parece que funciona"), so speakers write "it appears that it works" or "it appears it works". That is acceptable, but the infinitive version is more elegant: "it appears to work". Do not mix both: "it appears to be that it works" is wrong. Also, remember agreement: "it appears to...", but "they appear to..." (no -s).

Hint

appears to + verb / appears to have + participle. For plural subjects: appear to.

Practice

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

Fill in the Blank

They appear have left the office.

Hint: appear + to + have + participle.

Find the Error

Click on the incorrect word:

Sentence Transformation

Original

It seems that the order was cancelled.

Task: Rewrite with 'appears to have'

Hint: subject + appears to have + participle.

Practice Speaking

Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.

Level: C1

Learning Objectives