Formal Conclusion: -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 나타났다 (It Was Found That)

This grammar pattern works by turning an entire clause into a noun phrase. It then attaches a structure that means "showed up as." Let's break it down into pieces. The first part involves a descriptive or action verb. You attach -ㄴ/은/는 것 to this verb to turn it into a thing. Then you add 으로, which acts like the word "as" or "in the form of." Finally, you add 나타났다. This is the past tense of 나타나다, which means "to appear" or "to be revealed." When you put it all together, you are literally saying "The fact appeared as [X]." Think of it like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. The rabbit (your fact) was always there, but now it has been revealed to the audience. It is a very structured way to communicate. It removes your personal bias from the sentence entirely. This is why it sounds so official and trustworthy.

1. 1Creating this sentence structure depends on whether you are using an action verb or an adjective.
2. 2For Action Verbs (Present Tense): Take the verb stem and add -는 것으로 나타났다. For example, 먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹는 것으로 나타났다.
3. 3For Adjectives (Present Tense): If there is no bottom consonant (batchim), add -ㄴ. If there is a batchim, add -은. For example, 크다 (to be big) becomes 큰 것으로 나타났다. 작다 (to be small) becomes 작은 것으로 나타났다.
4. 4For Past Tense (Both): Use the past tense marker first, then add -ㄴ 것으로 나타났다. For example, 증가했다 (increased) becomes 증가한 것으로 나타났다.
5. 5For Nouns: Use 인 것으로 나타났다. For example, 1위 (1st place) becomes 1위인 것으로 나타났다.
6. 6Yes, it looks a bit long at first. But once you practice the rhythm, it flows quite naturally. Think of it like a long train where each car has a specific job to do.

You should reach for this grammar when you are talking about objective findings. Imagine you are in a job interview. You want to talk about your past sales performance. You wouldn't say "I think I did well." You would say "Sales were found to have increased by 20%." This is where -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 나타났다 shines. Use it when reporting results from a survey you conducted. Use it when summarizing a news article you read. It is perfect for formal writing, like an essay or a business email. If you are standing in front of a classroom giving a speech, this is your go-to pattern. It tells your audience that you have done your homework. It suggests that there is evidence behind your words. It is the grammar equivalent of showing your ID card to prove who you are.

Do not use this grammar in casual, everyday conversations with your friends. Imagine you are at a cafe with a buddy. If you say, "It was found that this coffee is delicious," your friend will probably laugh. It is much too stiff for grabbing snacks or hanging out. It is like wearing a tuxedo to a backyard barbecue. Also, avoid using this for your personal feelings or subjective thoughts. You wouldn't say "It was found that I am hungry." Hunger is a feeling, not a statistical discovery! Avoid using it when you are unsure about the facts. If you are just guessing, there are other patterns for that. This pattern is strictly for when you have some kind of proof or visible evidence. It is a grammar of certainty and formality, not casual vibes or gut feelings.

A very common mistake is mixing up the adjective and verb endings. Remember that adjectives use -ㄴ/은 while verbs use -는. If you say 비싼는 것 instead of 비싼 것, it will sound a bit clunky. Another trap is forgetting the space after 것으로. Korean spacing can be tricky, but this one is important for clarity. Some people also forget to use the past tense 나타났다. Since you are usually reporting a result that has already been found, the past tense is almost always required. Using the present tense 나타난다 is possible, but it is much less common in general reporting. Finally, don't confuse this with the hearsay pattern -다고 하다. While both report information, -다고 하다 is for what people say. -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 나타났다 is for what the data shows. It's like the difference between a rumor and a scientific graph.

How does this differ from -는 것 같다? You probably learned -는 것 같다 early on. That pattern means "It seems like" or "I think." It is used for opinions and guesses. In contrast, -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 나타났다 is much more factual. If -는 것 같다 is a blurry photo, -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 나타났다 is a 4K high-definition video. Another similar pattern is -게 나타났다. This is very similar and often interchangeable. However, -ㄴ/은/는 것으로 is slightly more common in written reports. You might also see -기 시작했다 for things starting to happen. But that focus is on the start of an action, not the discovery of a result. Think of our target grammar as the "final verdict" pattern. It closes the case by presenting the evidence clearly.