copied from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "copied from" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to something that has been taken from another source. For example, "This section of the report was copied from an article written in 2019."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Even our image was copied from God.

The New York Times

Intersecting tracery was copied from Germany.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Daffy's lisp was copied from Leon Schlesinger's.

The New York Times - Magazine

Above these, castellations are copied from Assyrian models.

The New York Times - Arts

Transcript An RNA molecule copied from a segment of DNA.

The New York Times - Science

Marginalia copied from a page of Gene Stratton Porter's "Laddie".

The New Yorker

"It was copied from Roman civil engineering practices," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

K, being copied from L, would be of value only where L had suffered damage after K was copied from it.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They include portraits of young women copied from 1960's-era pornographic magazines and a Christlike image of George Harrison copied from an old Playboy magazine illustration.

The New York Times - Arts

The academic gown probably was copied from the Islamic seminaries of a thousand years ago, and that Islamic style would have been copied from something earlier.

The New Yorker

Margarite's former friend made a PowerPoint presentation, with slides copied from the Internet.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that the material you've "copied from" is appropriately licensed for your use or falls under fair use guidelines.

Common error

Avoid excessive direct copying. Instead of relying heavily on material "copied from" other sources, paraphrase and synthesize information to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "copied from" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating the origin or source of something. As demonstrated by Ludwig, it is used to show that an element has been taken or derived from another place or source. The Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

34%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "copied from" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase that identifies the source or origin of something. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is correct and widely applicable across various contexts, particularly in science, news media, and encyclopedic writing. While primarily neutral in tone, it's crucial to use "copied from" responsibly by always citing the original sources to prevent plagiarism. Remember, as indicated by Ludwig, that while direct copying has its place, synthesizing and paraphrasing information shows a deeper understanding of the subject.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

derived from

Focuses on the origin or source of something.

taken from

Emphasizes the act of taking something from a source.

adapted from

Implies a modification or alteration of the original source.

modeled after

Suggests that something is made to resemble the original.

inspired by

Indicates that the original source served as a creative influence.

replicated from

Highlights the act of making an exact copy.

cloned from

Implies a precise duplication, often in a scientific context.

mirrored from

Suggests a direct reflection or mirroring of the original source.

simulated from

Emphasizes the creation of a simulation based on the original.

emulated from

Implies an attempt to match or surpass the original.

FAQs

How can I use "copied from" in a sentence?

You can use "copied from" to indicate that something was taken or derived from another source, as in "The design was copied from a vintage magazine" or "The text was copied from Wikipedia".

What are some alternatives to saying "copied from"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "derived from", "taken from", "adapted from", or "inspired by".

Is it always negative to say something was "copied from" another source?

Not necessarily. While "copied from" can imply plagiarism if not properly attributed, it can also be neutral or even positive in contexts like artistic inspiration or adaptation with appropriate credit.

What's the difference between "copied from" and "inspired by"?

"Copied from" suggests a direct replication, while "inspired by" implies that the original source served as a creative influence, leading to something new but related. For instance, the melody was "inspired by" a folk song, not literally copied.