copy this was

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "copy this was" is not correct and does not make sense in written English.
It appears to be a fragment and lacks clarity, making it unusable in any context. Example: "Please copy this was not intended for you." (Note: This example is still awkward due to the original phrase's issues.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

I shoplifted a copy — this was a petty theft, not a high-minded rescue — from Unabridged Bookstore in Chicago, where I grew up.

The New York Times - Books

Duplicated genes showed a unique or main nucleotide in the SNP that differed from the nucleotide present in the other gene copy (this was the case for the SNPs found in the E3-E4_4.3 E3-E4_4.34 and E3-E4_4.4 E3-E4_4.7 E3-E4_4.7

Nature

This was not "copyright" as is normally understood; although there was a monopoly on the right to copy, this was available to publishers, not authors, and did not exist by default; it only applied to books which had been accepted and published by the Company.

Wikipedia

Whereas the Bgh sequences predominantly (87%) had one copy, this was only the case in a minority of the Pgt sequences (40%).

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

A notch said skip, a deeper notch said copy". This is the IBM 032 Printing Punch of 1933.

Columbia University

"I don't have any problem with medical advertising that states in a clear way, either by format or by copy, this is an advertisement," she said.

The New York Times

Known as the engrossed copy, this is the famous document on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Wikipedia

If your office commonly makes just a single copy, this is an important statistic.

WikiHow

The easiest way to copy this is to use a plain white gown or bathrobe.

WikiHow

Every copy of this was destroyed centuries ago!

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"Two drinks ago," the copy reads, "this wasn't your ride".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the phrase's grammatical correctness by rephrasing it to a standard sentence structure like "This was copied" or "This is a copy".

Common error

Avoid using fragmented or incomplete sentence structures that lack a clear subject and verb relationship; always ensure your phrases form a complete and grammatically sound sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "copy this was" does not have a clear grammatical function due to its incorrect structure. It seems to attempt to relate to replication but fails to form a coherent statement. Ludwig AI confirms this with its feedback indicating the phrase's lack of sense in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Wiki

17%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "copy this was" is grammatically incorrect and lacks a clear function in English. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its nonsensical nature. While the intent might be related to duplication, it fails to communicate effectively. Instead, consider using grammatically correct alternatives such as "this was copied" or "this is a copy". The phrase's rarity and grammatical issues make it unsuitable for any formal or informal context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

This was copied

Passive voice construction, changing the focus to the object that was copied.

This is a copy of

Emphasizes the existence of a duplicate, shifting the tense to the present.

This was a copy

Clarifies that something in the past existed as a duplicate.

This has been copied

Highlights the action of copying and its completion.

A copy of this was

Reorders the sentence to place emphasis on the copy itself.

Duplicate this

Provides a direct instruction to replicate something.

Replicate this

Suggests a formal or technical duplication process.

This is a duplicate

Highlights the fact that something is an exact replica.

Reproduce this

Implies creating an exact copy, typically in a manufacturing or artistic context.

Make a copy of this

Directly requests the creation of a copy.

FAQs

What are some corrections for the phrase "copy this was"?

Instead of "copy this was", you could say "this was copied" or "this is a copy" to form a grammatically correct sentence.

How can I use the idea of duplication correctly in a sentence?

To correctly express duplication, use phrases like "duplicate this" (imperative) or "this is a duplicate" (declarative) instead of the ungrammatical "copy this was".

What is a more formal way to say "copy this was"?

A more formal approach involves using passive voice constructions like "this has been copied" or specifying the item being copied: "A copy of this was made".

Is "copy this was" ever grammatically correct?

No, "copy this was" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It lacks proper sentence structure and verb conjugation. Use alternative phrases like "this is a copy of" instead.