foul occurred

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "foul occurred" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to describe a situation where a foul took place, such as in sports or other contexts, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "During the game, a foul occurred when the player tripped his opponent."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

The Poles protested that the foul occurred outside the box but the referee ruled otherwise.

The Guardian - Sport

Martin's latest flagrant foul occurred as he tried to back down Abdur-Rahim in the lane.

The New York Times - Sports

If the foul occurred in the Nets' final two games, Martin's suspension would carry over into the playoffs.

The New York Times - Sports

The fact that the foul occurred in the centre circle, with Ronaldo going nowhere, may have influenced that non-decision.

The Guardian - Sport

The first foul occurred after only 44 seconds, Pedro the culprit as Barcelona sought to asphyxiate Madrid high up the pitch.

The Guardian - Sport

Since the away-from-the-ball foul occurred in the final two minutes of the game, the Jazz got a free throw and the ball.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

As Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk.com explained here (scroll down), the rulebook states that in situations where a double foul occurs – even if one of the fouls happens right after the play ends – the standard double-foul protocol applies.

The New York Times

Sure, the aggressor may also be sent off but that is not always a suitable sanction – especially if the foul occurs in the last few minutes, giving the wronged team little time to make use of their numerical advantage, meaning the aggressor has effectively exploited a loophole in the law.

The Guardian - Sport

Ferguson also questioned why, with the foul occurring in the area and Cole subsequently booked, a penalty was not awarded although referee Phil Dowd was seen to explain to the players that the ball had gone out of play moments before the incident.

BBC

It was agreed that should such a foul occur during the race, a restart above the bridge would take place, with a new finishing line near Kew.

Wikipedia

A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of the Game while the ball is in play.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use more common and grammatically correct phrases like "a foul took place" or "a foul happened" instead of "foul occurred".

Common error

Avoid using "occur" directly after "foul". While "occur" is a valid verb, it's more natural to say that a foul "took place" or "happened". Saying "foul occurred" sounds awkward.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "foul occurred" functions as a noun followed by a verb, attempting to describe an event in sports or a similar context. However, Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is not grammatically sound, thus, making the usage awkward.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

32%

Wiki

23%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "foul occurred" is used to describe an instance where a foul takes place, especially in sports or similar contexts. However, as Ludwig AI points out, this phrase is grammatically incorrect, and more common and natural alternatives exist, such as "a foul took place" or "a foul happened". While understandable, "foul occurred" is not standard English, and it's better to opt for clearer alternatives. Although examples exist in news and media and scientific publications, it is rarely used.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a foul took place

Replaces "occurred" with the more common verb "took place" for describing an event.

a foul happened

Replaces "occurred" with the simpler verb "happened" to describe the event.

a foul was committed

Uses a passive construction to emphasize the action of committing the foul.

the foul took place

Adds 'the' before 'foul' indicating a specific known foul.

the foul happened

Adds 'the' before 'foul' indicating a specific known foul.

when the foul happened

Adds a temporal element indicating when the foul took place

when the foul took place

Adds a temporal element indicating when the foul took place

a foul was registered

Implies an official record or acknowledgment of the foul.

a transgression happened

Replaces "foul" with the more formal term "transgression,"

an infraction occurred

Replaces "foul" with "infraction,"

FAQs

What's a more grammatically sound way to say "foul occurred"?

Instead of "foul occurred", consider using phrases like "a foul took place" or "a foul happened". These alternatives are more common and natural in English.

Is it ever correct to use the phrase "foul occurred"?

While technically understandable, "foul occurred" is not considered standard English. It's better to opt for clearer and more widely accepted alternatives such as "a foul was committed".

What's wrong with the grammar of "foul occurred"?

The issue lies in the word choice. While "occurred" is a valid verb, it's not typically used in this construction. Common usage dictates saying that a foul "took place" or "happened" instead.

How can I use "occur" correctly in a sentence about sports?

You can use "occur" in related contexts. For example, you might say "The incident occurred after the foul" or "It occurred because of the player's action", but not directly as "foul occurred".