approved a plan

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approved a plan" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when indicating that someone has given formal consent or authorization to a specific plan or proposal. Example: "The committee approved a plan to enhance the community park, which will include new playground equipment and walking trails."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

approved a plan for substantial changes in the voting system.

The New York Times

In 2005, the authority approved a plan for the uptown one.

The New York Times

The company also said that its board approved a plan to buy back 15 million shares.

The New York Times

Yet on May 8th the government approved a plan to do just that.

The Economist

I'm not the best sketcher, but they approved a plan on rough drawings.

The New York Times

Jupiter's directors approved a plan last week to sell off assets.

The New York Times

On Monday, the commission approved a plan to redraw the 36 State Senate districts.

The New York Times

Three years ago, the city's Board of Education approved a plan to mainstream more students.

The New York Times

The Seneca tribal council approved a plan on Saturday to build a casino in downtown Buffalo.

The New York Times

In May, Trump approved a plan to arm Syrian Kurds in the S.D.F.

The New Yorker

Undeterred, the Catalan parliament approved a plan for secession, by a narrow majority, the following year.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "approved a plan", ensure that the context clearly indicates who did the approving and what the plan entails. For example, "The board of directors approved a plan to expand the company's operations into new markets."

Common error

Avoid using "approved a plan" without specifying who approved the plan. A sentence like "A plan was approved" lacks clarity and leaves the reader wondering who made the decision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "approved a plan" functions as a declarative statement indicating that a person or entity has officially accepted a proposed course of action. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "approved a plan" is a grammatically correct and widely used expression that indicates formal acceptance or authorization of a proposed course of action. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is suitable for various contexts, primarily appearing in news and media, formal business settings and, to a lesser extent, scientific domains. Its communicative purpose is to inform that a decision has been made to proceed with a specific strategy. While generally neutral in register, it's most commonly employed in formal communications where clearly stating decision-making is crucial. Remembering to specify who approved the plan adds clarity and precision to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

endorsed a proposal

Replaces "approved" with "endorsed", implying support and recommendation of a proposal.

sanctioned a scheme

Uses "sanctioned" instead of "approved", suggesting official permission or authorization of a scheme.

authorized a project

Substitutes "approved" with "authorized", emphasizing the granting of permission for a project.

ratified an agreement

Replaces "approved" with "ratified", indicating formal confirmation or validation of an agreement.

validated a strategy

Uses "validated" to mean confirmed and accepted a strategy.

adopted a resolution

Suggests the formal acceptance of a resolution by a governing body, instead of simply approving a plan.

gave the green light to a project

An idiomatic alternative to "approved", meaning to give permission for a project to proceed.

gave the go-ahead for a strategy

Similar to "gave the green light", this phrase is an informal way of saying a strategy has been approved.

signed off on an initiative

Uses "signed off on" which implies formal acknowledgement and approval of an initiative.

accepted the blueprint

A more specific term that suggests accepting detailed plans.

FAQs

How can I use "approved a plan" in a sentence?

You can use "approved a plan" to indicate that someone or a group has formally agreed to and accepted a proposed course of action. For example, "The city council "approved a plan" to build a new park."

What are some alternatives to "approved a plan"?

Some alternatives include "endorsed a proposal", "sanctioned a scheme", or "authorized a project", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "approved of the plan" or "approved a plan"?

"Approved of the plan" is grammatically correct but less common and often sounds less direct than ""approved a plan"", which is generally preferred for its conciseness.

What's the difference between "approved a plan" and "adopted a plan"?

"Approved a plan" suggests giving consent or permission to a plan, while "adopted a plan" implies formally accepting and starting to implement the plan.