be responded

USAGE SUMMARY

The use of "be responded" in written English is not correct and it cannot be used in this form.
If you would like to use the verb "respond" in your sentence, you can use the sentences: "His request was responded to promptly" or "He responded to her email within minutes".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Public feedback must be responded to in real time.

The Economist

Please note that letters cannot be responded to individually.

The Guardian - Money

"This talk can be responded to and disproved.

The New York Times

The use of those weapons must be responded to".

The Guardian

Registrations received over the weekend will be responded to on Monday.

Cornell University

Requests will be responded to within 3-5 business days of receipt.

Columbia University

Incomplete forms will not be considered and will not be responded to.

Cornell University

Such moves will never hide that great crime, criticism should not be responded to with beheading".

Independent

"Their work will be responded to with more hostility, open to more scrutiny.

The New York Times - Sports

The violation is clear and it has to be responded to," Carney says.

The Guardian

"There are legitimate criticisms and they need to be responded to by the government".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the passive construction "be responded". Instead, use active voice or rephrase to use correct passive constructions such as "be answered" or "receive a response".

Common error

The phrase "be responded" is often used incorrectly as a passive form. To correct this, rephrase the sentence using a proper passive construction like "The email was responded to" or switch to an active voice construction such as "Someone responded to the email."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be responded" functions as part of a passive construction, aiming to indicate that an action is performed on a subject. However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Therefore its function is impaired by its improper form.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

28%

Science

23%

Less common in

Wiki

9%

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "be responded" appears frequently across various sources, including news, academic, and scientific domains, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The intended meaning is often to convey that something will receive a response or action, but the phrasing itself is considered non-standard. Correct alternatives include using active voice or rephrasing to a more conventional passive construction like "be answered" or "receive a response". Therefore, while common, writers should exercise caution and prefer grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and correctness in their writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

receive a response

Replaces the passive voice with a more direct action of receiving a response.

get a reply

Uses a simpler and more common term, "reply", instead of "respond".

be answered

Focuses on the action of answering, which addresses a question or request.

be addressed

Emphasizes that an issue or concern is being dealt with.

be taken care of

Highlights the aspect of handling or resolving something.

be handled

Similar to "be taken care of" but focuses on the process of managing a task.

be acknowledged

Stresses the recognition of a message or issue.

be attended to

Implies that something will receive the necessary attention.

elicit a response

Shifts the focus to causing or provoking a response.

prompt a reaction

Indicates that something leads to a particular reaction or behavior.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the verb "respond" in the passive voice?

While "be responded" is generally incorrect, you can use "responded to" in passive constructions. For example, "The email was "responded to" promptly" is correct.

What are some alternatives to "be responded" that I can use?

Instead of "be responded", consider using phrases like "be answered", "receive a response", or "get a reply" depending on the context.

Is "be responded" grammatically correct?

No, "be responded" is generally not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use a different phrasing, as it doesn't follow typical English grammar rules for passive voice. For example, it is better to use the passive form "was responded to".

Why is "be responded" often considered incorrect?

The verb "respond" typically requires a preposition like "to" when used in the passive voice. Without it, the phrase "be responded" sounds incomplete and grammatically awkward. Using an alternative phrasing ensures clarity and correctness.