became to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'became to' is not correct nor commonly used in written English.
If you want to speak about something becoming something else, you should use the verb 'become.' For example, "The small, helpless kitten became a brave and fierce cat."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The goal became to defeat Obama".

The New Yorker

For Germany, especially, the cure became to enforce fiscal discipline.

The Economist

Eventually, ships became to me what a Land Rover was.

The New York Times - Travel

Our third objective therefore became to fuel performance.

Harvard Business Review

The more I panicked, the harder it became to breathe.

The Washington Post

Doyle became to Edalji what Emile Zola was to Dreyfus.

The Guardian - Books

The challenge became to find an image of Jane Grey.

The New Yorker

The more hydrophilic the surfaces became, the more resistant they became to degradation.

Journal of Asian Ceramic Societies

With increasing salt concentration, the simulations became to deviate from the experiments.

Chemical Engineering Science

What the art impresario Durand-Ruel was to the French modernists, Bonnell became to Cosey.

The New Yorker

And the more I watched preschool shows the more open I became to their benign morality.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the verb "become" directly to indicate a transformation or change of state. For example, instead of "the caterpillar became to a butterfly", write "the caterpillar became a butterfly".

Common error

Do not add the preposition "to" after the verb "became". The correct structure is "became + [noun/adjective]", not "became to + [noun/adjective]".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "became to" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form, according to Ludwig AI, is to use "became" followed by a noun or adjective. The examples provided by Ludwig show instances where "became" is correctly used to indicate a transformation or change.

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

The phrase "became to" is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As Ludwig AI highlights, the correct usage is simply "became", followed by a noun or adjective to describe the resulting state. Due to its incorrect structure, there are no instances of its proper usage in authoritative sources. It's essential to avoid this phrase and opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "transformed into", "evolved into", or simply "became" to effectively convey the intended meaning of a change or transition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

became

The most direct and grammatically correct alternative.

turned into

A common and versatile alternative for indicating change.

transformed into

Emphasizes a significant change in form or appearance.

developed into

Highlights the progression and growth of something.

evolved into

Suggests a gradual process of development.

altered to

Indicates that something has been adjusted or modified.

was converted into

Indicates a deliberate or systematic alteration.

morphed into

Implies a striking or magical transformation.

shifted to

Suggests a change in position, focus or strategy.

progressed to

Highlights the advancement from one state to another.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the verb "become"?

The verb "become" should be followed directly by a noun or adjective that describes the new state or condition. For example, "He became a doctor" or "The sky became dark".

What can I say instead of "became to"?

Use the simple past form of "become", which is "became". You can also use alternatives like "transformed into", "evolved into", or "turned into".

Is "became to" grammatically correct?

No, "became to" is not grammatically correct. The correct form is simply "became".

What's the difference between "became" and "became to"?

"Became" is the correct past tense form of the verb "become". "Became to" is not a standard English construction and should be avoided. Use alternatives as "shifted to" or "progressed to".