a human error

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a human error" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a mistake made by a person, often in contexts involving technology, processes, or decision-making. Example: "The system crashed due to a human error during the data entry process."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"It was a human error.

Independent

Or just a "human" error?

The New York Times

Or there's a human error.

The Washington Post

It is, Richards notes, a human error.

The New York Times - Books

It was a human error that caused this to happen.

The Washington Post

He called it a human error and an example of "the perils of modern technology".

The New York Times

"It's a human error, but the vehicle and the technology didn't compensate," he said.

The Guardian - Tech

Thus, Delaney's call could be viewed as a human error or judgment call.

The New York Times - Sports

VS A. Scottish Power says: "The problem was due to a human error.

Independent

"This is solely based on a human error that the doctor in question has taken full responsibility for.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

To date there is only one previous study of this advice, a human-error incident in Israel in 2001.

BMC Public Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing errors, clarify the specific action or inaction that constituted the "a human error". Provide context to avoid ambiguity and promote understanding.

Common error

Avoid simply labeling an incident as "a human error" without further investigation. This can prevent identifying underlying systemic issues that contribute to mistakes. Dig deeper to uncover the root causes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a human error" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject, object, or complement in a sentence. It identifies the cause of an event or situation as being due to a mistake made by a person, often implying a lack of skill, attention, or judgment. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

22%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a human error" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term to describe mistakes caused by individuals. As Ludwig AI confirms, it functions primarily as a noun phrase, often serving to explain the cause of accidents, failures, or other negative outcomes. While its use is common across various contexts, it is particularly prevalent in "News & Media" and "Science", according to the analysis of example sentences. To avoid oversimplification, it is important to clearly explain the specific actions or inactions that led to "a human error" rather than using it as a blanket explanation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a mistake by a person

Focuses on the agent of the error rather than the nature of the error.

an error due to human action

Highlights the cause of the error as stemming from human activity.

a fault of human origin

Emphasizes the origin of the fault as being human-related.

a personnel mistake

Replaces 'human' with 'personnel', implying the error occurred within a work context.

a slip-up by an individual

Uses a more informal term ('slip-up') to describe the error.

a blunder committed by staff

Substitutes 'error' with 'blunder', indicating a more significant mistake, and specifies 'staff' as the responsible party.

a lapse in judgment

Focuses on the cognitive aspect of the error, specifically a failure in decision-making.

an oversight on someone's part

Highlights the aspect of neglect or failure to notice something important.

a preventable mistake

Emphasizes the avoidability of the error, implying that it could have been prevented with better procedures or attention.

an inadvertent mistake

Highlights that the mistake wasn't intentional.

FAQs

How can I use "a human error" in a sentence?

You can use "a human error" to describe a mistake made by a person, as in, "The accident was attributed to "a human error" during the procedure."

What are some alternatives to "a human error"?

You can use alternatives like "a mistake by a person", "an error due to human action", or "a lapse in judgment" depending on the specific context.

Is it more appropriate to say "human error" or "personnel error"?

"Human error" is generally more common and widely understood. "Personnel error" might be used in formal or business contexts, but the meaning is essentially the same.

What kind of situations typically involve "a human error"?

"A human error" is often cited in situations involving technology malfunctions, procedural mistakes, or decision-making flaws. It can occur in fields like medicine, aviation, manufacturing, and customer service.