be woken up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be woken up" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the action of someone being awakened by another person or by an external factor. Example: "I need to be woken up early tomorrow for my flight."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

"Russia just needs to be woken up".

The New York Times

People just needed to be woken up".

The Guardian - Film

Which really annoyed my mother because she'd be woken up by me… cutting her".

The Guardian

He had to be woken up for dawn prayer but he never complained.

The Guardian

For the next two weeks, all of the men would be woken up before dawn.

The Guardian

So every night she would be woken up at 2, 3, 4 a.m.

The New York Times - Magazine

She woke up the parts of me that needed to be woken up".

The New Yorker

At 5.45am I'd be woken up for an hour's practice before a breakfast of 15 minutes.

The Guardian - Music

"The last thing you want to do is be woken up and not be with it," Dr. Abramson said.

The New York Times - Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

"I was woken up by explosions.

The Guardian

They are woken up by a built-in timer.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be woken up" in passive constructions where the emphasis is on the person being awakened rather than the agent doing the waking. For example: "I need to be woken up early tomorrow."

Common error

Avoid using "be woken up" when an active voice construction is more appropriate. For example, instead of saying "The alarm was woken up by me", say "I woke up to the alarm".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be woken up" functions as a passive verb phrase, indicating that the subject is the recipient of the action of waking. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It emphasizes the state of being awakened rather than the actor performing the waking.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be woken up" is a grammatically correct and very common passive verb phrase used to describe the act of being awakened by an external agent. As Ludwig AI confirms, its use is widespread across various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. While alternatives like "wake up" and "be awakened" exist, the choice depends on whether the emphasis is on the agent or the recipient of the action. Pay attention to voice and context to ensure accurate and effective communication. Avoid using "be woken up" in cases where the active voice provides a more appropriate construction.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

wake up

Active voice instead of passive; focuses on the action of waking.

be awakened

Formal synonym; replaces "woken" with "awakened".

be roused

Implies a more forceful or energetic awakening.

be stirred from sleep

More descriptive; emphasizes the interruption of sleep.

come to

Implies waking up from unconsciousness or a daze.

be startled awake

Highlights a sudden or surprising awakening.

be jolted awake

Emphasizes a forceful or abrupt awakening.

be called awake

Indicates that someone else calls you to wake up.

awaken

A more poetic or literary term for waking up.

arise

Formal and somewhat archaic term for waking up and getting out of bed.

FAQs

How can I use "be woken up" in a sentence?

Use "be woken up" when describing the act of someone being roused from sleep by an external force or person. For example, "He had to be woken up for dawn prayer".

What can I say instead of "be woken up"?

Alternatives include "wake up", "be awakened", or "be roused" depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it better to use "be woken up" or "wake up"?

"Be woken up" is passive, focusing on the receiver of the action, while "wake up" is active, focusing on the subject performing the action. Use the one that best fits the sentence's emphasis.

What's the difference between "be woken up" and "wake up"?

"Be woken up" implies an external force causing someone to awaken, while "wake up" can be either self-initiated or caused by an external factor. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the cause of the awakening.