Discover Ludwig
Sign in
Discover Ludwig

Used and loved by millions

Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

MitStanfordHarvardAustralian Nationa UniversityNanyangOxford

didn't function

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

Table of contents

Usage summary

Human-verified examples

Expert writing tips

Linguistic context

Ludwig's wrap-up

Alternative expressions

FAQs

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I didn't function in that environment.

1
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The Guardian - Music

Messi and [Carlos] Tévez on both wings didn't function either.

2
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The New York Times

"I did pursue it and made sure that priest didn't function again in a priestly ministry".

3
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The New York Times

The damn thing failed, it didn't function like it should have done.

4
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The Guardian - Sport

Their product didn't function properly, and then word got out that Orbcomm didn't work.

5
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The New York Times

The once brilliant scholar found that his brain just didn't function properly.

6
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The New York Times

"Probably the most disappointing thing was we didn't function smoothly in the fourth quarter, in critical situations," Dungy said.

7
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The New York Times - Sports

So the plan didn't function effectively as an incentive for people to work together and aggresively drive the company forward.

8
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

Harvard Business Review

"If the building didn't function well, I think it would get hacked to pieces," Mr. Huttenlocher said.

9
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The New York Times - Arts

The Pranksters didn't function in real narrative time, not with all those drugs, and the book couldn't abide by a linear storyline.

10
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The Guardian - Books

"Obviously we would have liked to think we could move the ball, but we didn't function and operate the way we needed to the rest of the game".

11
Listen
Save
Show context
Share sentence

News & Media

The New York Times - Sports
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In highly formal academic papers or legal documents, avoid the contraction and use the full form: did not function.

Common error

Avoid using "didn't function" to describe a person's laziness. While you can say a team "didn't function", applying it to an individual's work ethic usually sounds awkward unless you are referring to a physiological or neurological state.

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

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

91%

Authority and reliability

4.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "didn't function" serves as a negative past-tense verb construction. According to Ludwig, it is primarily used to denote the failure of a subject to perform its designated role or operation. It consists of the auxiliary verb 'do' (negated with 'not') and the base form of the lexical verb 'function'.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "didn't function" is a highly versatile and authoritative phrase used to describe the failure of diverse systems. Whether applied to high-tech satellite networks, biological cells or professional sports teams, Ludwig AI demonstrates that this phrase is a staple of clear, descriptive English. Its usage in publications like The New York Times and Science Magazine confirms its reliability. Writers should use it when they need to specify that a purpose was not met, though they should consider alternatives like "malfunctioned" for technical glitches or "did not function" for formal academic contexts.

FAQs

How do I use "didn't function" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe mechanical or abstract failures, such as "The engine "didn't function" as expected" or "The team simply "didn't function" well together."

What can I say instead of "didn't function"?

Depending on your context, you can use "malfunctioned", "failed to work" or "was inoperative".

What is the difference between "didn't function" and "didn't work"?

While "didn't work" is common and versatile, "didn't function" sounds slightly more formal and is often preferred in technical, medical or sports analysis contexts.

Is it correct to use "didn't function" in professional writing?

Yes, it is perfectly correct. However, for a higher level of formality, use "did not function" to avoid the contraction.

ChatGPT power + Grammarly precisionChatGPT power + Grammarly precision
ChatGPT + Grammarly

Editing plus AI, all in one place.

Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.

Continue with Googlefor free

Continue with emailfor free

Table of contents

Usage summary

Human-verified examples

Expert writing tips

Linguistic context

Ludwig's wrap-up

Alternative expressions

FAQs

Source & Trust

91%

Authority and reliability

4.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences:

1-2001k2k3k4k5k7k10k20k40k100k200k500k0m-30m-41m-11m-21m-31m-4