admitted driving

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "admitted driving" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when someone acknowledges or confesses to having driven a vehicle, often in a legal or formal context. Example: "He admitted driving the car without a valid license during the police interrogation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

The liner was found in the boot of a car Lane admitted driving.

The Guardian

He admitted driving without due care and attention and was fined £91.

The Guardian

The men's lawyers say the pair admitted driving from Brussels to Paris early on Saturday to pick up Abdeslam.

Independent

He admitted driving to his father's lock-up but only to collect car parts with best friend Gary Kays.

The Guardian

She also admitted driving him to the pharmacy, acting as a lookout and sharing in the drugs taken during the robbery.

The New York Times

State Representative Linda Harper-Brown, Republican of Irving, admitted driving a Mercedes-Benz owned by her husband's employer, who does business with the state.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Premier League footballer Stephane Sessegnon has been banned from the roads for 20 months after admitting driving over the limit.

Independent

It came as a Belgian court ordered the continued detention Ali Oulkadi, 31, who admits driving Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam through Brussels after he fled France the morning after the attacks.

Independent

While she admits driving two men and their victim to a wasteland in Essex, when she realised that their intentions were actually to kill, she was the one who called the police.

Independent

After several arrests for drugs offences, in 2010 Michael was fined and given a five-year driving ban and a prison sentence after admitting driving under the influence of drugs, having crashed his Range Rover into a Snappy Snaps photo store in Hampstead.

The Guardian - Music

Footballer Jermaine Pennant has avoided a jail sentence after admitting driving home from a nightclub while drunk.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "admitted driving", ensure the context clearly indicates what the person is admitting to, especially if it involves a violation of law or regulation.

Common error

Avoid using "admitted driving" when the act of driving itself isn't the focal point. For instance, if someone admits to an accident, specify what they're admitting to: "He admitted causing the accident" rather than a vague "admitted driving".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "admitted driving" functions as a verb phrase, where "admitted" is the main verb indicating acknowledgement or confession, and "driving" is a gerund acting as the direct object. As seen in the Ludwig examples, the structure is commonly used in legal and news contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Formal & Business

6%

Science

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "admitted driving" is a common phrase used to indicate that someone has acknowledged operating a vehicle. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and frequently used in news and legal contexts. When writing, ensure the context is clear and specific, detailing what the person is admitting to, such as "admitted driving under the influence". Alternatives like "confessed to driving" or "acknowledged driving" can provide nuanced variations in meaning. While the phrase is common, always ensure that it accurately reflects the specific details being conveyed, especially when implications of guilt or responsibility are involved.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

confessed to driving

Replaces "admitted" with "confessed", emphasizing a stronger sense of guilt or wrongdoing.

acknowledged driving

Substitutes "admitted" with "acknowledged", offering a more neutral tone without necessarily implying guilt.

owned up to driving

Replaces "admitted" with the idiomatic "owned up to", suggesting taking responsibility for the action.

conceded to driving

Employs "conceded" in place of "admitted", implying a reluctant acknowledgement, often in the face of evidence.

fessed up to driving

Uses the informal "fessed up to" instead of "admitted", indicating a casual confession.

come clean about driving

Uses the idiom "come clean about" instead of "admitted", highlighting a full disclosure of the driving.

testified to driving

Replaces "admitted" with "testified", indicating a formal declaration, often in a legal setting.

revealed that he drove

Rephrases the sentence structure to focus on the act of revealing the information about driving.

disclosed that he drove

Employs "disclosed" in place of "admitted", suggesting the revealing of previously unknown information.

avowed to driving

Substitutes "admitted" with "avowed", suggesting an open and declared acknowledgement.

FAQs

How is "admitted driving" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "admitted driving" is generally used to indicate that someone has acknowledged that they were the one operating a vehicle. For example, "The suspect "admitted driving" under the influence."

What are some alternatives to saying "admitted driving"?

You can use alternatives like "confessed to driving", "acknowledged driving", or "owned up to driving" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "admitted to drive" instead of "admitted driving"?

While "admitted to drive" might seem similar, it changes the meaning slightly. "Admitted driving" refers to acknowledging the act of having driven, whereas "admitted to drive" implies admitting an intention or plan to drive, which is less common. The gerund form "driving" is usually more appropriate in most contexts after "admitted".

What's the difference between ""admitted driving"" and "pleaded guilty to driving"?

"Admitted driving" simply means someone has acknowledged that they were driving. "Plead guilty to driving", on the other hand, means someone has confessed to committing a driving-related offense in a court of law.