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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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actions were made

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "actions were made" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as "made" implies a physical creation rather than an action being performed. Example: "The actions were made to improve the team's performance."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Comparisons of drug actions were made versus baseline values.

Such scrutiny of day-to-day decisions of the Executive Branch would be bound to occur if civil damages actions were made available to private individuals.

Those actions were made possible by a Supreme Court ruling in June 2004 that detainees could use the civilian court system to challenge their imprisonment.

News & Media

The New York Times

Despite his Brazilian accent causing mockery among some Colombians, Moura created a compellingly complex villain – one whose actions were made all the more shocking by their proximity to historical fact.

Frequent diagnoses and therapeutic actions were made, but health impact of these measures cannot be measured.

If no actions were made on a hostile aircraft within 15 s (the minimal time delay between two critical changes), the change was considered undetected.

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Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Mr. Adams said that Emergent's suit was without merit and that its actions were making it difficult for Protein Sciences to attract new investors.

News & Media

The New York Times

And I warned the president over and over that his actions were making it impossible for me to do what he wanted me to do".

News & Media

The Guardian

Dawson commented that Darren and Jack are so desperate that "everything seemed easy", but added that they realise their actions were making the situation worse.

Actions are made towards the use of community-generated information to support land administration.

Simple actions are shown in Table 4. Compound actions are made up by simple and compound actions associated by parallel or sequential operators.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer using "actions were taken" or "actions were performed" for grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "made" to describe actions, as it typically implies creation or construction, not the performance of activities. The verb "take" or "perform" is more appropriate in this context.

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

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

83%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "actions were made" functions as a passive construction where the subject receives the action. As Ludwig AI points out, this construction is generally considered grammatically incorrect because "made" is typically used to describe creation rather than the performance of an action.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

42%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "actions were made" appears in a variety of sources, including news and scientific publications, it's considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests that the phrase is usually misused. A more appropriate alternative is to use "actions were taken" or "actions were performed". Therefore, writers should avoid "actions were made" to maintain clarity and grammatical accuracy in their writing.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "actions were made"?

You can use alternatives like "actions were taken" or "actions were performed" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "actions were made" or "actions were taken"?

"Actions were taken" is grammatically more correct than "actions were made", as "made" implies creation rather than performance.

How to use "actions were taken" in a sentence?

Example: "After the review, actions were taken to improve the process efficiency."

What's the difference between "actions were made" and "decisions were made"?

"Decisions were made" implies a choice was formulated, whereas "actions were made" (though grammatically questionable) suggests activities were carried out. In general, consider using actions were taken instead of actions were made.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: