began to decrease

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "began to decrease" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a process where something is starting to diminish or reduce in quantity, size, or intensity. Example: "The temperature began to decrease as the sun set behind the mountains."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Finally, the numbers began to decrease.

The New York Times

As college football evolved, The Game's relevance began to decrease.

The Guardian - Sport

His rate of composition, too, began to decrease.

Britannica

At temperatures greater than 60 °C, both parameters began to decrease.

LWT - Food Science and Technology

The number of rainforests began to decrease and were replaced by dry forests and woodlands.

University of California, Berkeley

But since those children weren't born, crime began to decrease during the years they would have entered their criminal prime.

The New York Times - Magazine

The peak height increased at first with increasing film thickness up to 150 Å, but then began to decrease.

Electrochimica Acta

Mueller said that such deaths reached a high of eight in one year, in 1970, and then began to decrease.

The New York Times - Sports

As Thursday wore on, the number of courses with vacancies began to decrease as universities successfully filled empty places.

The Guardian

But like many things born online, as popularity of the new tools increased, efficiency and usefulness began to decrease.

The New York Times - Magazine

The mean elongation at which the compound action potential (CAP) amplitude began to decrease was found to be 8.3 ± 0.56%.

Journal of Neuroscience Methods

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "began to decrease" when you want to clearly indicate the start of a diminishing trend. It's particularly effective when contrasting it with a previous state of increase or stability.

Common error

Avoid using "began to decrease" excessively in passive constructions. Instead of saying "Sales began to decrease because of the new policy", consider "The new policy caused sales to begin decreasing" for a more direct and impactful statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "began to decrease" functions as a verb phrase indicating the commencement of a reduction or decline. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in describing trends, quantities, and levels that are starting to diminish.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

32%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "began to decrease" is a versatile verb phrase used to signal the commencement of a downward trend across various domains. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and frequently employed in scientific, journalistic, and academic contexts. While alternatives like ""started to decline"" or "commenced to lessen" exist, the original phrase remains a clear and direct way to communicate the beginning of a reduction. Remember to use it actively, emphasizing the cause rather than relying on passive constructions for greater impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

started to diminish

Replaces "began" with "started" and "decrease" with "diminish", offering a slightly more formal tone.

initiated a decline

Replaces "began to decrease" with "initiated a decline", using a noun form to express the reduction.

experienced a drop

Uses "experienced a drop" to indicate a decrease, suitable for describing a sudden reduction in a measurable quantity.

commenced to lessen

Substitutes "began" with "commenced" and "decrease" with "lessen", resulting in a more formal and somewhat archaic expression.

witnessed a falloff

Employs "falloff" to indicate a decrease, which can be used when describing a reduction in quantity or intensity.

started to recede

Uses "recede" instead of "decrease", implying a movement backwards or away, suitable for contexts like water levels or popularity.

saw a downturn

Uses a more concise expression, "saw a downturn", which is suitable for economic or performance-related contexts.

underwent a contraction

Replaces "began to decrease" with "underwent a contraction", suggesting a shrinking or reduction in size or scope, often used in economic contexts.

entered a period of reduction

Replaces the verb phrase with a more descriptive noun phrase, emphasizing the state of reduction.

turned downward

Implies a change in direction towards a decrease, suitable for trends or indicators.

FAQs

How can I use "began to decrease" in a sentence?

You can use "began to decrease" to describe the start of a downward trend, for example: "After the initial surge, interest in the product "began to decrease"."

What are some alternatives to "began to decrease"?

Alternatives include "started to decline", "began to fall", or "started to diminish". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it more formal to say "commenced to decrease" rather than "began to decrease"?

Yes, "commenced to decrease" is slightly more formal and less common than ""began to decrease"". "Commenced" generally carries a more official or ceremonial tone.

What is the difference between "began to decrease" and "started to decrease"?

The difference is negligible; both phrases are nearly synonymous. "Began to decrease" and "started to decrease" both indicate the commencement of a reduction, with "began" possibly implying a slightly more gradual start.