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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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To breakdown in

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "To breakdown in" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "to break down in." Example: "The machine tends to break down in extreme weather conditions."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

It will mean our precious marine life is safer, our communities are cleaner and future generations won't be saddled with mountains of plastic taking hundreds of years to breakdown in landfill sites.

News & Media

The Guardian

Kenya, long considered the most stable of East African countries, came perilously close to breakdown in 2007, with many lives lost in street violence following the tightest of presidential elections and in defence of what many believed was the subjugation of their democratic rights.

In MDA-MB-231 tissue, NPs were able to penetrate deeper due to breakdown in the ECM matrix.

Continued use of water having high SAR leads to breakdown in the physical structure of the soil particles.

Thus, burn injury leads to breakdown in the intestinal mucosal barrier which can induce bacterial translocation (BT).

Science

Burns

These composts and other solid manures are great, but they have one major disadvantage of taking a longer time to breakdown in the soil to release nutrients.

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Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Federal officials said the exercise in 2000 pointed to breakdowns in communication among agencies.

News & Media

The New York Times

There is nothing alarmist about the risk of extreme weather events leading to breakdowns in critical services and food systems.

News & Media

The Economist

From 1992 to 1998, railroad stocks nearly tripled, keeping up with the Dow Jones industrial average, despite the poorly integrated set of mergers that led to breakdowns in service.

News & Media

The New York Times

And yet, even as business travelers are becoming inured to breakdowns in service, many strive for special treatment, perhaps in a quest to maintain some dignity.

News & Media

The New York Times

But the Baghdad sweeps have underscored the raft of problems the American command has identified in the Iraqi force buildup, including hasty recruiting, insufficient training and a weak command structure, leading to breakdowns in discipline, especially in combat.

News & Media

The New York Times
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct phrasal verb form, "to break down," followed by the appropriate preposition, such as "to break down in tears" or "to break down into components."

Common error

Avoid using "to breakdown in" as it is grammatically incorrect. Remember that "breakdown" is a noun or, when separated, part of the phrasal verb "break down".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to breakdown in" attempts to function as a verb phrase indicating a process of failing or disintegrating within a specific context. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect, suggesting the correct form is "to break down in."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

59%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to breakdown in" is a grammatically incorrect attempt to express failure or disintegration within a specific context. Ludwig AI confirms this error, advising the correct form is "to break down in". While the phrase appears across various sources, including scientific and news media, its non-standard usage undermines its suitability for formal writing. Alternative phrases like "fail in" or "collapse in" offer better alternatives. Therefore, exercise caution and prioritize grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and professionalism in writing.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the phrasal verb "break down"?

The correct form is "to break down", where "break" and "down" are separate words. For example, "The car started "to break down" on the highway".

Can I use "breakdown" as a single word in a sentence?

Yes, "breakdown" is a noun. You can use it to refer to a failure or collapse. For example, "There was a "breakdown in communication" between the teams".

What are some alternative phrases to "break down in"?

Depending on the context, consider using alternatives like "fail in", "collapse in", or "disintegrate in".

Is "to breakdown in" ever correct?

No, "to breakdown in" is not a grammatically correct construction in standard English. Always use "to break down in" as two separate words, or rephrase the sentence to use the noun "breakdown".

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

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Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: