contacted to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "contacted to" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly; the correct preposition should be "by" or "with" depending on the context. Example: "I was contacted by the company regarding my application."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

NBC was not contacted to participate, a senior executive said.

The New York Times

He said Mr. Kundera had been contacted to comment and had declined to respond.

The New York Times

"Since then they have been contacted to say, 'Sorry, we made a mistake.

The New York Times

The family retains letters between her and a librarian she contacted to make inquiries.

The Guardian - Books

Her office said each town had been contacted to arrange a visit.

The Guardian - Business

Investigators in the field were also contacted to locate studies.

Journal of WOCN

Note: whenever possible, authors were contacted to provide unavailable data.

Sports Medicine - Open

No patients contacted to report unfamiliar headache symptoms.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

No individual or organization was contacted to receive further publications.

Sports Medicine - Open

Mattress design contacted to human body provides direct impact on sleep comfort.

Procedia Manufacturing

A year later, all participants were contacted to complete a simple and undemanding on-line assessment.

Biological Psychology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the purpose of contacting someone, use a clear verb phrase, such as "contacted them to request information".

Common error

A common mistake is using the preposition "to" after "contacted". Remember that "contacted" generally requires "by" when indicating who initiated the contact or "with" when indicating who was contacted, depending on the context. Double-check your preposition choice to maintain grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "contacted to" is often intended to express the act of reaching out to someone for a specific purpose. However, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates the correct forms are typically "contacted by" or "contacted with".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

31%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "contacted to" appears frequently in various sources, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI suggests, the proper forms are typically "contacted by" or "contacted with", depending on the intended meaning. It's advisable to use alternative phrases like "reached out to" or "got in touch with" to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity. Therefore, writers should avoid "contacted to" in formal writing to ensure correctness and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reached out to

Emphasizes the act of initiating communication.

got in touch with

Suggests establishing communication with someone.

made contact with

Highlights the successful establishment of communication.

communicated with

A more formal way of saying that a conversation or exchange took place.

were notified by

Indicates that someone received information.

spoke with

Highlights a spoken interaction.

corresponded with

Implies a written exchange.

consulted with

Suggests seeking advice or information from someone.

liaised with

Indicates working together or coordinating with someone.

connected with

General term for establishing a link or relationship.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "contacted" in a sentence?

The correct usage is typically "contacted by" (e.g., "I was contacted by the company") or "contacted with" in some contexts, although "contacted by" is more common. Avoid using "contacted to".

What can I say instead of "contacted to arrange"?

You can use alternatives such as "contacted to schedule", "contacted to organize", or "contacted to coordinate", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "contacted by" or "contacted with"?

"Contacted by" is generally used to indicate who initiated the contact (e.g., "I was contacted by the recruiter"). "Contacted with" can be used when specifying the means of contact (e.g., "I was contacted with new information"), but is less common.

What are some professional alternatives to "contacted"?

In professional settings, you can use phrases like "reached out to", "got in touch with", or "communicated with" for a more formal tone.