avoid to refer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "avoid to refer" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "avoid referring." Example: "In academic writing, it is important to avoid referring to unverified sources."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Optometrists within the GRRS also reported that they had joined the scheme to enhance the reputation of their practice and, in some cases, to avoid having to refer their patients to competitors.

BMJ Open

Note-taking during lectures is a useful strategy that many students use for learning purposes, as it keeps them attentive to the lecturer and helps them avoid having to refer to diverse sources to get information required on a particular topic [ 13, 14].

BMC Medical Education

I "de-pledged" a sorority and found community in WIL (Women's Issues League) meetings where we actually discussed how women (womyn?) should be spelled to avoid referring to ourselves by reference to men.

Huffington Post

You can do this as many times as you'd like, but avoid using it to refer to typing.

WikiHow

In a page seemingly taken from the Harry Potter books, he tried to avoid referring to Mr. Liu by name, instead calling him the man "with the three-character name".

The New York Times

Phillips is usually sparing of details, with the instincts of a good Central Intelligence Agency operative; sometimes, when talking about a free-agent player, he will even go so far as to avoid referring to the player by name.

The New York Times - Sports

It's remarkable to see the lengths to which journalists will go in order to avoid referring to more than one of the trendy little hybrids.

The Economist

Mayor Mack and his associates spoke in code to try to avoid detection, referring to money as "Uncle Remus" and the mayor as "Napoleon," the authorities said.

The New York Times

In other words, to avoid referring to Eta as a terrorist group whose mere existence constitutes a threat to citizens – after having murdered hundreds of them – and which still poses a threat to a democratic society like Spain, is not rigorous journalism but a demonstration of the fact that sometimes terrorist propaganda can be successful.

The Guardian - Opinion

I tried to insulate Abigail from that kind of thinking—I avoided the temptation to refer to Cinderella's Golden Carrousel as a merry-go-round, and I shouted "Hiya, Donald!" every time we got anywhere near Donald Duck but my wife was a consistently non-magical influence.

The New Yorker

Possibly, this may be improved by including the neighborhood criteria into the priority measure to avoid referring to the pixels far from each other in the memory, but this needs to be investigated.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to express the act of preventing oneself from mentioning something, use the gerund form, writing "avoid referring" instead of "avoid to refer".

Common error

Remember that "avoid" is typically followed by a gerund (verb + -ing), not an infinitive. Incorrectly using the infinitive form (e.g., "avoid to refer") is a common grammatical error.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "avoid to refer" is intended to express the act of preventing or abstaining from making a reference. However, this construction is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct form is "avoid referring."

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "avoid to refer" is grammatically incorrect. As highlighted by Ludwig, the correct phrasing is "avoid referring", which uses the gerund form after the verb "avoid". While the intent is to express the act of preventing oneself from mentioning something, the incorrect grammar impacts clarity and credibility. Be sure to use "avoid referring" or alternative phrases like refrain from mentioning to ensure grammatical correctness in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

avoid referring

This is the grammatically correct and most direct replacement.

refrain from mentioning

This suggests a more deliberate and conscious effort to not bring something up.

abstain from referencing

This is a more formal and emphatic way of saying to avoid mentioning something.

steer clear of referencing

This implies carefully evading any situation where referencing might be necessary.

evade mentioning

This suggests actively trying to not mention something.

omit mentioning

This focuses on the act of leaving something out, specifically in speech or writing.

bypass reference to

This implies finding a way around needing to make a reference.

sidestep the mention of

This suggests skillfully avoiding a topic or name.

decline to cite

This is a more formal way to indicate refusal to reference something.

pass over in silence

This emphasizes the complete avoidance of a topic through silence.

FAQs

How do I correctly use "avoid" in a sentence about references?

The correct grammatical structure is to use a gerund after "avoid". For instance, say "avoid "avoid referring"" rather than "avoid to refer".

What is the correct way to say I want to prevent mentioning something?

Use ""avoid referring"" or "refrain from mentioning". The phrasing "avoid to refer" is not grammatically standard.

Is there a difference between "avoid referring" and "avoid to refer"?

Yes, ""avoid referring"" is grammatically correct, using the gerund form. "Avoid to refer" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing.

What can I use instead of the incorrect phrase "avoid to refer"?

You can use alternatives like ""avoid referring"", "refrain from mentioning", or "abstain from referencing" to convey the same meaning with correct grammar.