contracted us

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "contracted us" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey that a contract was formed with us, but the phrasing is unclear and awkward. Example: "The company contracted us to provide consulting services for the upcoming project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Recently a woman contracted us to cater a $13,000-plus event and mentioned that she had one of these cards.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

This Chinese company urges potential clients to "contract us to perform your entire targeting project from initial strategy design and targeting vector construction to mutant animal delivery, or you can outsource specific phases of the project to us".

Science Magazine

So, (Dick) gave us a call, and wound up contracting us for 13 weeks thinking that if the show took off, he would hire a real band at the end of that time.

Huffington Post

Bury: We never comment on players that are not contracted to us, nor do we speculate on players that may or may not be coming to us.

BBC

If he was only contracted to us until 2017, then yes, it would be different.

The Guardian - Sport

"We will not listen to offers for players who are contracted to us until 2014 or beyond," the chairman insists.

The New York Times - Sports

He is contracted to us".

BBC

He remains contracted to us".

BBC

Davies said: "Ben is contracted to us for another season.

BBC

We'd like every player contracted to us until 2050, but that's not going to happen".

BBC

"He is contracted to us for another 18 months and at this moment in time he is going nowhere and we are not courting offers for him".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "contracted us". Opt for more standard and grammatically sound alternatives like "hired us" or "engaged our services" to ensure clarity and professionalism in your writing.

Common error

Using "contracted us" often results from a misunderstanding of verb tense and voice. Remember that the correct phrasing typically involves an active voice, where the subject performs the action (e.g., "They hired us"). Passive constructions like "We were contracted" are grammatically sound but shift the emphasis.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "contracted us" functions as a verb phrase where "contracted" is intended as a transitive verb. However, Ludwig AI points out that this phrasing is not standard English. The example highlights the intention to convey that a contract was formed.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "contracted us" aims to convey that a party has been hired or engaged through a contract, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. More appropriate alternatives include "hired us" or "engaged our services". Although examples appear in News & Media and Scientific contexts, the ungrammatical nature significantly reduces its suitability for professional communication. Therefore, it's best to avoid "contracted us" in favor of more standard English phrasing to ensure clarity and correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Hired us

Replaces the verb "contracted" with "hired", a more common and direct term for engaging someone's services.

Engaged our services

Replaces "contracted us" with a more formal phrasing that specifies the provision of services.

Retained us

Uses "retained" which implies a more ongoing or advisory relationship.

Commissioned us

Suggests that the work was specially ordered or created.

Entered into a contract with us

Explicitly states the formation of a contractual agreement.

Made a contract with us

A slightly more colloquial alternative to 'entered into a contract'.

Signed a contract with us

Focuses on the act of signing as establishing an agreement.

Outsourced to us

Suggests that a specific project has been delegated to an external entity.

Subcontracted to us

Implies a hierarchical relationship where work is passed down from a primary contractor.

Partnered with us

Indicates a collaborative arrangement rather than a simple service agreement.

FAQs

Is "contracted us" grammatically correct?

No, "contracted us" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use phrases like "hired us" or "engaged our services".

What does "contracted us" mean?

The intended meaning of "contracted us" is that someone has hired or engaged a service provider through a contract. However, the phrasing is non-standard and can sound awkward.

What's a more formal way to say "contracted us"?

A more formal way to express the same idea is to say "engaged our services" or "retained us".

Can I use "contracted with us" instead of "contracted us"?

While "contracted with us" is grammatically better than "contracted us", it's still more common and clearer to use alternatives like "entered into a contract with us" or "signed a contract with us".