Breakdown of El investigador sostiene haber usado un nuevo enfoque.
nuevo
new / another, different (before the noun)
un
a, an, some
usar
to use
haber
to have (auxiliary)
Questions & Answers about El investigador sostiene haber usado un nuevo enfoque.
Why do we use the compound infinitive haber usado here instead of que ha usado?
We use the compound infinitive (haber + past participle) because the subject of both actions is the exact same. The researcher is the one claiming, and the researcher is also the one who used the approach. If a different person had used it, you would need que plus a conjugated verb, like sostiene que ella ha usado.
Doesn't sostener mean to hold? Why is it translated as claims?
While the physical meaning of sostener is to hold or to support an object, in intellectual or academic contexts it means to maintain, to argue, or to claim a position. It is a great upper-level alternative to decir or afirmar.
Could I use reclamar to mean claim in this sentence?
No, reclamar is a false friend here. It generally means to demand, to complain, or to claim something you are owed (like luggage or a prize). When claim means to state that a fact is true, you must use verbs like sostener, afirmar, or asegurar.
Why is the adjective nuevo placed before the noun enfoque?