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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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decision cannot be made

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "decision cannot be made" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating that a choice or conclusion is not possible at the moment, often due to lack of information or other constraints. Example: "Due to the conflicting reports, a decision cannot be made until further evidence is provided."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

However, when the U.S. is dealing with countries that are state sponsors of terrorism, that decision cannot be made without regard to the policy signal it sends".

News & Media

The New York Times

Dzyubenko answered that, technically, moving the seeds to Svalbard would not be difficult, "but since we are not independent, and since the Vavilov collection is a public treasure, this must be discussed with our superiors at the Academy of Sciences in Moscow — the decision cannot be made at this level.

News & Media

The New Yorker

In many cases, if a decision cannot be made within that timeline, it becomes useless.

For such colors a reasonable decision cannot be made by the classifier resulting in unreliable predictions.

Therefore, PRD decision cannot be made on per packet basis, instead successive LQI reading are considered.

The defense scheme in this work requires secondary users to collect sensing reports from their neighbors when confirmative decision cannot be made.

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Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

These decisions cannot be made in a New York minute".

News & Media

The New York Times

These decisions cannot be made quickly or easily by students with so little experience.

News & Media

The New York Times

How, for instance, do you quantify an increase in staff morale?Moreover, decisions cannot be made in isolation.

News & Media

The Economist

The second important premise of the human-factors approach is that, typically, design decisions cannot be made without a great deal of trial and error.

Pagano busies himself with the switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense and Grigson evaluates college talent, but even basic budgeting decisions cannot be made before the Manning situation resolves itself.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "decision cannot be made" to clearly state that a choice or conclusion is not currently possible. Provide the reasons for the impasse to enhance clarity.

Common error

While "decision cannot be made" is grammatically correct, consider using a more active voice when appropriate to make your writing more direct. For example, instead of "a decision cannot be made by the committee", try "the committee cannot make a decision".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

4.1/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decision cannot be made" functions as a statement indicating the impossibility of reaching a determination at a given time. Ludwig AI provides examples demonstrating its use in various contexts, from scientific research to news reports.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

22%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "decision cannot be made" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to indicate the impossibility of reaching a conclusion or choice at a particular time. Ludwig AI's analysis reveals its prevalence across diverse contexts, including science, news, and formal communication. While versatile, writers should remain mindful of adopting a more active voice where appropriate, and the alternatives like "a determination is not feasible", "a conclusion is unattainable" may offer nuanced ways to phrase the same idea.

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "decision cannot be made"?

Use "decision cannot be made" when you want to express that a choice or conclusion is currently impossible due to a lack of information, conflicting data, or other constraints. It implies a temporary or indefinite inability to reach a determination.

What are some alternatives to "decision cannot be made"?

Alternatives include "a determination is not feasible", "a conclusion is unattainable", or "no resolution can be reached". The best choice depends on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

How can I make the sentence "decision cannot be made" more active?

To make the sentence more active, identify who is unable to make the decision and rephrase accordingly. For example, change "the decision cannot be made" to "the committee cannot make the decision".

Is "decision cannot be made" formal or informal?

"Decision cannot be made" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in very informal settings, you might opt for simpler phrasing like "we can't decide".

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Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

4.1/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: