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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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built on trial

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "built on trial" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a misinterpretation of "trial and error," which refers to a method of problem-solving. Example: "The new software was developed through a process built on trial and error, allowing the team to refine its features over time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Yes, science is built on trial and error, and there is always much error as science progresses.

News & Media

Huffington Post

Risking embarrassment and failure are a part of being human, and learning and honing your skills is often built on trial and error, through getting on with the task and doing it.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The field of Bioscience has a storied history built on early trial and error observations of the natural world and scientific discoveries that have now provided us with a means for taking the planetary pulse of life-support systems and making adjustments to human consumption and population levels, drivers of ecosystem degradation.

The APOE4 trial builds on another trial of an anti-amyloid drug in 300 members of a Colombian family who carry a gene mutation that places them at high risk of developing an early-onset form of Alzheimer's disease.

Science & Research

Science Magazine

The success of the Humane Society video was built on decades of trial and error by animal rights advocates who have spent years dragging bulky cameras around to slaughterhouses, sometimes posing as employees.

They should put whoever built them on trial.

News & Media

The New York Times

The OED element builds on the Trial Design with an additional "design space" for domain-specific optimization settings.

For example, this includes other researchers (who may wish to build on the trial or modify the intervention in some way) and systematic reviewers (who need details of intervention to assist with assessing and understanding heterogeneity).

This trial built on cumulative experience from the prior decade of indeterminate trials [ 10– 15], which served to refine the target population, intervention strategy, and co-interventions.

PePiTA is a prospective, multicenter, non-randomised trial built on the hypothesis that preoperative chemosensitivity testing using FDG-PET/CT before and after one course of FOLFOX can identify the patients who are unlikely to benefit from 6 months of adjuvant FOLFOX treatment for stage III colon cancer.

Science

BMC Cancer

The trial built on two decades of work by Professor John Greenwood at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.

News & Media

The Guardian
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of saying something is "built on trial", use the more common phrase "built on trial and error" or more appropriate alternatives like "based on experimentation" or "founded on evidence" for better clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "built on trial" as a standalone phrase. This phrase is not standard English and can confuse your reader. If you intend to convey a process of learning and improvement, use the established idiom "trial and error" or clearer alternatives.

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

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "built on trial" is a prepositional phrase attempting to describe a foundation or basis. However, it's grammatically unsound as highlighted by Ludwig, and it requires clarification to be meaningful. It is often confused with, or is a misinterpretation of, the idiom "trial and error."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "built on trial" is grammatically incorrect and rarely used in standard English. As Ludwig AI points out, it seems to be a misinterpretation of "trial and error". While some sources may use it, opting for clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives such as "based on experimentation", "founded on evidence", or "developed through testing" is advisable. These alternatives ensure clarity and professionalism in writing, avoiding potential confusion. It's worth noting that its infrequent use across different contexts suggests that it's not a recognized or accepted idiom.

FAQs

What does "built on trial" mean?

The phrase "built on trial" is not a standard English expression. It seems to be a misinterpretation or shortened version of the phrase "trial and error", which signifies learning and improvement through experimentation and mistakes.

What can I say instead of "built on trial"?

You can use alternatives like "based on experimentation", "developed through testing", or "founded on evidence" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "built on trial" or "built on trial and error"?

"Built on trial and error" is the correct and commonly used phrase. "Built on trial" is grammatically incorrect and rarely used.

How to use "built on trial and error" in a sentence?

Here's an example: "The new software was "built on trial and error", allowing the team to refine its features over time."

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Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: