build house

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'build house' is not correct and usable in written English.
The correct form would be 'build a house'. For example, "My parents are planning to build a house on their new land".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Project: Build house.

The New York Times

Mr Clegg, who is currently unchallenged as party leader, has a chance to drag his party into it.The statist urge remains strong in the Lib Dems: conference delegates passed motions supporting new levies on unhealthy drinks, opposing new airport runways and rejecting plans to make it easier to build house extensions.

The Economist

Traprock was harvested from talus slopes of the Metacomet Ridge to build house foundations; copper ore was discovered at the base of Peak Mountain in northern Connecticut and was mined by prisoners incarcerated at Old Newgate Prison located there.

Wikipedia

For example, Maya's asthma continued to cause her problems after moving to a good quality (in her opinion) new build house.

Health and Place

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Come build houses!

Harvard University

The Chinese can build houses very fast.

The New York Times

You want to build houses?

The New York Times - Magazine

"My desperate need is to build houses.

The Guardian

People used the bricks to build houses.

The New Yorker

He said the govt. would help them build houses.

The New Yorker

Different species of bamboo are extensively used to build houses and temporary structures in developing countries.

Construction and Building Materials

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the article "a" before "house" when using the verb "build". The correct phrase is "build a house".

Common error

A frequent error is omitting the article "a" before "house" after the verb "build". This makes the sentence grammatically incorrect. Always include the article: "build a house".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "build house" functions as a verb phrase followed by a noun. According to Ludwig AI, this phrasing is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct form is "build a house", which includes the article "a" before the singular noun.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "build house" might be understandable in some informal contexts, it is grammatically incorrect. The proper way to express this idea is to say ""build a house"", including the article "a" before the noun "house". As Ludwig AI points out, the omission of the article constitutes a grammatical error in standard English. While the phrase appears across various source types, from News & Media to Academia and Science, its infrequency suggests that it is not a preferred or widely accepted usage. Remember to always include the article for grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

build a house

Addition of the article 'a' makes the phrase grammatically correct.

construct a dwelling

Replaces "build" with a more formal synonym and "house" with a general term for residence with the article.

erect a building

Uses a more formal verb and a broader noun, requiring the article 'a'.

put up a residence

Uses a phrasal verb and a more formal noun.

develop housing

Shifts the focus to the broader concept of housing development.

create accommodation

Replaces "house" with a term that emphasizes providing living space.

fabricate a home

Fabricate implies a more manufactured process and home is a slightly more emotional take than a house.

assemble a prefab home

Specifies a type of construction that involves pre-made components.

establish a residence

Focuses on the act of establishing a place to live.

raise a structure

Uses generic terms for the act of building.

FAQs

Why is it more correct to say "build a house" instead of "build house"?

The phrase "build house" omits the indefinite article "a", which is generally required before singular, countable nouns like "house" when referring to a general instance of that noun. Thus, "build "build a house"" is grammatically correct.

What are some alternatives to saying "build a house"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "construct a dwelling", "erect a building", or "put up a residence".

Is "build house" ever acceptable in written English?

While you might occasionally find "build house" in informal contexts or unedited text, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's always safer to use ""build a house"" in formal writing.

What's the difference between "build houses" and "build a house"?

"Build houses" refers to the act of constructing multiple homes, while ""build a house"" refers to the construction of a single dwelling. The former is plural, and the latter is singular.