began picked up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "began picked up" is not correct and usable in written English.
It appears to be a combination of two verbs that do not work together in this form. Example: "He began to pick up the pieces after the incident."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This chart, showing the share of adults with jobs, offers the best summary you'll find: The share begins falling in 2007 even before the recession officially began, picked up speed in early 2008 and then began plummeting after Lehman Brothers collapsed in September 2008.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Gradually, they began picking up his tracks.

The New York Times

Within seven minutes, others began picking up the falsehood.

The New Yorker

During the Nineties, he began picking up speed.

The Guardian - Film

She began picking up the clothes that Paul had dropped on the floor and folding them.

The New Yorker

After that win over the Astros, fans began picking up on the phrase.

The New York Times - Sports

U.S. and Cuban intelligence agents also began picking up chatter about a Yankee commando.

The New Yorker

He began picking up cases by the dozens, then the hundreds.

The New York Times

Then she began picking up pieces of pottery predating the temple.

The New York Times - Science

Bookings for international leisure travel this summer began picking up in March and continued strong through April.

The New York Times - Travel

Soon, however, problems began picking up again, although at a lower volume than before.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "began picked up" in formal writing. Instead, use "began to pick up" to ensure grammatical correctness. For example, "The economy began to pick up after the recession."

Common error

A common mistake is omitting the "to" between "began" and "picked up", which leads to a grammatically incorrect phrase. Always remember to include "to" to form the infinitive: "began to pick up".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "began picked up" functions incorrectly as a verb phrase due to a missing infinitive marker. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is not grammatically sound, and it requires correction to "began to pick up" to function correctly.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "began picked up" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. The correct form is "began to pick up", which signifies the start of an increase, improvement, or collection. Ludwig AI indicates that the original phrase is not usable in written English. While sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian appear in the search results, they exemplify the correct usage, "began to pick up", or related alternatives, rather than the incorrect form. Therefore, always ensure the inclusion of "to" between "began" and "picked up" for grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

began to pick up

Corrects the grammar by inserting "to" between "began" and "picked", creating a proper infinitive phrase.

started picking up

Replaces "began" with "started", maintaining the core meaning of initiating an action.

started to gather

Uses "started" instead of "began" and "gather" instead of "pick up", offering a slightly different phrasing for the same concept.

began accumulating

Uses "accumulating" to convey a gradual increase or collection over time.

started amassing

Employs "amassing" to suggest gathering a large quantity of something.

commenced gathering

Replaces "began" and "picking up" with more formal synonyms, altering the tone.

began the collection of

Rephrases to emphasize the beginning of a collection process.

initiated collection

Transforms the phrase into a noun-focused structure, emphasizing the act of collecting.

initiated the process of gathering

A more elaborate and formal alternative emphasizing the process.

started to gain

Focuses on the act of gaining or acquiring something, shifting the nuance slightly.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "began picked up"?

The grammatically correct way is to say "began to pick up". The inclusion of "to" creates the infinitive form, making the sentence grammatically sound.

What does "began to pick up" mean?

It means that something started to increase, improve, or collect. For example, "Sales began to pick up in the second quarter" means sales started to increase during that period.

Are there synonyms for "began to pick up"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "started to gather", "started to improve", or "began accumulating" depending on the context.

Is "began picked up" ever correct?

No, "began picked up" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct form is always "began to pick up".