empty yesterday

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "empty yesterday" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be used in a context where one is describing a feeling of emptiness or lack of fulfillment related to the previous day, but it requires additional context to be meaningful. Example: "After reflecting on my day, I realized that my schedule felt empty yesterday, lacking any significant events or interactions."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Donetsk was empty yesterday.

Independent

The narrow streets surrounding the Rixos were spookily empty yesterday.

The Guardian

The area where Mr. Velez had been staying in a makeshift shelter was empty yesterday.

The New York Times

The Yankee Stadium stands were empty yesterday, but on the field, Yankees officials were leading cheers.

The New York Times - Sports

Back in Tivoli Gardens, which falls inside the Prime Minister's own constituency, the barricades remain this weekend, schools were empty yesterday and, fearing violence, some businesses were shuttered.

Independent

They don't even know why they're being isolated".The streets of Freetown were empty yesterday as people observed a forced "stay-at-home" day to reflect and pray on Ebola.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Most sit empty today.

The New York Times

Christine's room is empty today.

The Guardian

Bethlehem's streets were terrifyingly empty today.

The New York Times

"I was just empty today," Thomas said.

The Guardian - Sport

"They have all been empty since early October".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of saying "empty yesterday", consider using more descriptive and grammatically correct alternatives like "was deserted yesterday" or "saw little activity yesterday" to convey your intended meaning more clearly.

Common error

Be careful not to directly modify temporal adverbs like "yesterday" with adjectives. While understandable, it's not standard English. Instead, restructure your sentence to use a verb and adjective or a more appropriate adverbial phrase. For example, instead of "empty yesterday", try "was empty yesterday".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "empty yesterday" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a temporal adverb. However, Ludwig AI suggests it is not grammatically correct in standard English, requiring a verb to properly link the adjective to a subject. For example, "The stadium was empty yesterday."

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "empty yesterday" appears in various news sources as shown by Ludwig, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect and unnatural in standard English. Ludwig AI emphasizes the importance of using a verb to link the adjective "empty" to a subject for grammatical correctness. More appropriate alternatives include phrases like "was deserted yesterday" or "saw little activity yesterday". Although the phrase might be understandable in certain contexts, it's advisable to opt for clearer and more grammatically sound expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was deserted yesterday

Replaces "empty" with "deserted", implying abandonment or lack of people.

was vacant yesterday

Substitutes "empty" with "vacant", suggesting a lack of occupants or contents.

saw no activity yesterday

Focuses on the lack of action or movement, rather than physical emptiness.

remained unoccupied yesterday

Emphasizes that a place or object was not being used or inhabited.

experienced little traffic yesterday

Highlights the low volume of people or vehicles in a particular area.

was unusually quiet yesterday

Indicates a lack of noise or commotion, suggesting a subdued atmosphere.

had few visitors yesterday

Specifies that the number of people present was lower than usual.

lacked its usual bustle yesterday

Highlights the absence of typical activity or liveliness.

felt strangely still yesterday

Emphasizes the eerie or unsettling lack of movement or sound.

seemed lifeless yesterday

Suggests a complete absence of vitality or energy.

FAQs

How can I use the idea of emptiness with "yesterday" in a grammatically correct sentence?

Instead of "empty yesterday", use constructions like "it was "deserted yesterday"", "it felt "empty yesterday"", or "there was an "emptiness yesterday"". The original construction is not natural in English.

What's a more common way to express that a place was not busy on the previous day?

Consider using phrases like "it was "quiet yesterday"", "there were "few people yesterday"", or "activity was "low yesterday"".

Is "empty yesterday" considered proper English?

No, "empty yesterday" is not typically considered proper or standard English. It's better to rephrase it for clarity and grammatical correctness.

Which is more correct, "empty yesterday" or "was empty yesterday"?

"Was empty yesterday" is the grammatically correct option. The phrase "empty yesterday" needs a verb to link the adjective to the subject.