can be quit

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "can be quit" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a misunderstanding of the verb "quit," which is typically used in the context of leaving or stopping something. Example: "This job can be quit at any time if you are unhappy."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Configuring the views can be quit complex: there are fields to add, filters for selecting what content to display, settings to control the content display, a 'paging' feature for creating multiple pages of content within one view, and more.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

And what's more, he said, "All you can do is quit.

The New Yorker

"The best thing a smoker can do is quit completely now and forever, and we need to provide smokers with accurate, balanced information on different quitting methods.

Independent

The closest thing I can equate it to is quitting smoking; not lighting up becomes a point of honour, a personal challenge, a battle you need to win in order to continue thinking of yourself as a decent human being.

Vice

The closest thing I can equate it to is quitting smoking; not lighting up becomes a point of honor, a personal challenge, a battle you need to win in order to continue thinking of yourself as a decent human being.

Vice

The Tanto centre cures the worst cases of malnutrition and offers hundreds of kids a way out of the dump – once they can be persuaded to quit scavenging.

Independent

"It can be difficult to quit.

BBC

We expect that more outpatients can be motivated to quit by physicians in clinic settings.

BMC Public Health

Tobacco-related mortality in Europe over the next three decades will be determined by the extent to which current smokers can be persuaded to quit smoking.

British Journal of Cancer

Moreover, considering that most South African smokers are light smokers [ 29], they can be assisted to quit with appropriate counselling and behavioural support.

BMC Family Practice

The PRIME (plans, responses, impulses, motives, evaluations) theory of motivation [ 26] argues that smokers can be prompted to quit, without prior thought or planning [ 24, 27].

BMC Public Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express the possibility of discontinuing something, substitute the phrase "can be quit" with more grammatically sound alternatives like "can be stopped" or "can be abandoned".

Common error

Avoid using "quit" in passive constructions. "Quit" typically implies an active subject performing the action of leaving or stopping something. In passive contexts, use "stopped", "abandoned", or other more suitable verbs.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "can be quit" attempts to express the possibility of something being stopped or abandoned. However, based on Ludwig AI, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct usage would involve rephrasing to use a more suitable verb in the passive voice.

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

The phrase "can be quit" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, the verb "quit" is typically used actively rather than passively. To convey the intended meaning of something being able to be stopped or abandoned, it's better to use alternatives like "can be stopped", "can be abandoned", or "can be terminated". Although examples exist across various sources, the low frequency and grammatical issues suggest that "can be quit" should be avoided in formal writing. Always opt for grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

can be stopped

Replaces "quit" with "stopped" to correct the grammatical structure, indicating the possibility of halting an action or process.

can be abandoned

Substitutes "quit" with "abandoned" to denote the potential for leaving something unfinished or giving up on it.

can be relinquished

Replaces "quit" with "relinquished", suggesting the possibility of voluntarily giving something up.

can be ceased

Substitutes "quit" with "ceased" to describe the potential for something to be brought to an end.

can be terminated

Replaces "quit" with "terminated", indicating that something can be officially ended or discontinued.

can be exited

Replaces "quit" with "exited", indicating the possibility of leaving a situation or environment.

can be resigned from

Replaces "quit" with "resigned from", indicating the possibility of leaving a position or role.

can be withdrawn from

Replaces "quit" with "withdrawn from", indicating the possibility of removing oneself from a commitment.

can be backed out of

Replaces "quit" with "backed out of", indicating the possibility of withdrawing from an agreement or plan.

can be dropped

Replaces "quit" with "dropped", indicating the possibility of ceasing involvement or participation in something.

FAQs

How do I properly use the verb "quit" in a sentence?

The verb "quit" is typically used to describe the action of stopping or leaving something. For example, "I will quit smoking" or "She decided to quit her job". Avoid using it in passive constructions like "can be quit".

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "can be quit"?

Instead of "can be quit", use phrases such as "can be stopped", "can be abandoned", or "can be terminated" depending on the context. These alternatives are more aligned with standard English grammar.

Is "can be quit" considered formal or informal language?

The phrase "can be quit" is generally considered grammatically incorrect and is not appropriate for either formal or informal contexts. Opt for more standard alternatives in all writing situations.

In what situations might someone mistakenly use "can be quit"?

Someone might mistakenly use "can be quit" when trying to express that something can be stopped or given up. However, this construction is not grammatically correct. It's better to use a phrasing such as "the habit can be stopped".