Used and loved by millions

Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

MitStanfordHarvardAustralian Nationa UniversityNanyangOxford

became approved

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "became approved" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as "approved" is a past participle that does not fit with "became," which suggests a change of state. Example: "The proposal became approved after the committee's review."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Recently, my university's first LGBTQ+ organization became approved, on our campus, which was encouraging.

News & Media

Huffington Post

After the study was able to demonstrate successful treatment, carbon ion therapy became approved as the best therapy available in Germany.

Science

BMC Cancer

This study was able to demonstrate excellent clinical results and carbon ion therapy became approved as the best therapy available in Germany.

Science

BMC Cancer

None of the development programs that were the first to demonstrate clinical proof of concept actually became approved drugs, illustrating the difficulty and risk inherent in creating drugs.

Advanced methods for biodegradation testing including the shake flask test and semiCAS procedure (SDA, 1965) became approved international methods (i.e., ASTM International D2667-95; OECD 301, 302 and 303 guidelines).

Etravirine became approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in early 2012 to be used in combination with other ARV medications in HIV-1-infected children aged 6 years to <18 years who are failing their regimens with HIV-1 strains resistant to NNRTIs and other ARVs.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Apple has a submission and registration process for third-party components to become approved extensions to QuickTime.

"Looking at Title II and how long it took for those rules to be approved, we could be looking at a year from the date the rules are proposed for crowdfund investing to become approved.

News & Media

The New York Times

Once the channel has been deemed appropriate and family-friendly, it becomes approved.

News & Media

TechCrunch

It says a "channel review" includes "a human confirmation of many videos on the channel". Once the channel has been deemed appropriate and family-friendly, it becomes approved.

News & Media

TechCrunch

One program, for example, allowed clients to become approved for a loan before searching for a house (at the time, an improvement on existing ideas), making them more credible to sellers; another allowed customers to fill out documents in their homes rather than in the mortgage office.

News & Media

Forbes
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer using "was approved" or "received approval" for grammatical accuracy. This ensures clarity and avoids potential misunderstandings.

Common error

Avoid using "became" directly before a past participle like "approved". "Became" indicates a change of state, and it's better paired with adjectives or nouns (e.g., "became popular", "became a doctor"). Instead, use auxiliary verbs like "was" or "received" to form grammatically correct passive sentences.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

82%

Authority and reliability

3.2/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "became approved" functions as a verb phrase aiming to describe a change in status, indicating that something has transitioned into an approved state. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as not correct in standard written English, typically advising against it.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "became approved" aims to convey a change in status to an approved state, it's considered grammatically questionable. Ludwig AI suggests preferring alternatives like "was approved" or "received approval" for greater clarity and correctness. Although the phrase appears in both scientific and news contexts, adopting more standard phrasing is recommended for formal writing. Ludwig's analysis underscores the importance of grammatical precision, even when a phrase is somewhat understood in common usage.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "became approved"?

No, the phrase "became approved" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is usually "was approved" or "received approval".

What is a more appropriate way to say "became approved"?

Instead of "became approved", use phrases like "was approved", "received approval", or "got approved" depending on the context and desired level of formality.

When should I use "was approved" instead of "became approved"?

"Was approved" should be used when describing something that has undergone a process and has been given approval. It's grammatically sound and widely accepted compared to "became approved".

What's the difference between "became approved" and "received approval"?

While "became approved" is technically incorrect, "received approval" is the correct and formal way of saying something was granted approval.

ChatGPT power + Grammarly precisionChatGPT power + Grammarly precision
ChatGPT + Grammarly

Editing plus AI, all in one place.

Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.

Source & Trust

82%

Authority and reliability

3.2/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: