a call was made

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a call was made" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone initiated a phone call or made a request for communication. Example: "After the meeting, a call was made to discuss the project's next steps."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

A call was made to the child abuse registry.

The New York Times

A call was made to our family physician, as if a doctor could fix such things.

The New York Times

A call was made to the sheriff's department at 2 37 a.m.

The New York Times - Sports

A call was made to Mr. Gerard, a resident of the building since about 1968.

The New York Times

"A call was made to our ambassador's cellphone," Mr. Rouhani said.

The New York Times

A call was made to curators at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

The New York Times

"The information gives details of when a call was made and which phone number was called.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

MPs perform an internal routing, when a call is made.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

A call is made normally, and received normally.

TechCrunch

However, it does not mean that #Tk is updated twice in a system when a call is made.

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

To change the mouse behavior to delete atoms or bonds, a call is made to the pickElem function with a parameter of 'Delete' or 'DelBond'.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a call was made" in formal writing or when the actor making the call is not important or unknown. It's suitable for reports, news articles, or official statements where objectivity is key.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on passive constructions like "a call was made", as it can make your writing sound vague or impersonal. When appropriate, switch to active voice to clarify who initiated the call (e.g., "Someone called").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a call was made" functions as a passive construction, indicating that an action (making a call) occurred. Ludwig AI confirms its proper grammatical structure and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a call was made" is a common and grammatically correct passive construction used to report that a phone call or a request for communication occurred. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for formal contexts, particularly in news and media, science, and encyclopedic writing. While it's versatile, writers should be mindful of overusing passive voice and consider active voice alternatives for clarity. When aiming for directness, using phrases such as "someone called" can be more effective. Understanding these nuances will allow you to use "a call was made" appropriately and avoid potential writing pitfalls.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a telephone call was placed

Replaces the general term "call" with the more specific "telephone call", adding clarity.

a phone call was initiated

Uses "initiated" instead of "made", suggesting a formal tone.

contact was established

Shifts the focus from the action of calling to the outcome of establishing communication.

an attempt to call was executed

Replaces "a call was made" with a more elaborate expression conveying the idea of an intentional action.

communication was attempted

Broadens the scope to any form of communication, not just a phone call.

someone called

Simplifies the sentence structure by using an active voice.

a notification was dispatched

Refers to some form of notifcation, not only a call.

an inquiry was lodged

Implies that the call was made to formally inquire about something.

a connection was established

Highlights the successful establishment of a connection.

an appeal was issued

Indicates that the call was made as part of a formal request or plea.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "a call was made" to sound more direct?

Consider using the active voice to specify who made the call. For instance, instead of "a call was made", try "someone called" or "the police called" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use the passive voice construction "a call was made"?

This passive construction is suitable when the person who made the call is unknown, unimportant, or when you want to emphasize the fact that the call happened rather than who made it. It's commonly used in formal reports and news articles.

What are some alternatives to "a call was made" that aren't limited to phone calls?

If you want to use the phrase more broadly, consider phrases like "contact was established" or "communication was attempted", which encompass various forms of communication.

Is "a call was made" more formal than "someone called"?

Yes, "a call was made" is generally more formal due to its passive construction. "Someone called" is a more direct and informal way of conveying the same information.