he decide to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he decide to" is not correct in written English.
It should be "he decided to" to indicate the past tense of the verb "decide." Example: "He decided to take a different route to work today."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Will he decide to have a kid?

The Guardian - Opinion

And why did he decide to defect?

The New York Times - Sports

Why did he decide to enter?

The Guardian - Books

Why does he decide to talk?

The Guardian - Film

Why did he decide to go? "Time, really.

The Guardian

Why did he decide to take part in this project.

The Guardian

Should he decide to run, Mr Edwards's opponents discount him at their peril.

The Economist

The question now is, will he decide to run in 2010?

The Economist

Will he decide to coach next season or will he be moved aside by university administrators?

The New York Times - Sports

(Only later, Mr. Abraham added, did he decide to join Areva in a largely advisory role).

The New York Times

The number one will be reserved for the world champion, should he decide to use it.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using alternatives such as "he chose to", "he opted to", or "he resolved to" for variety and emphasis.

Common error

Avoid using the base form "decide" after "he" in the past tense. The correct form is "decided". For example, instead of "He decide to go", use "He decided to go".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he decide to" functions as part of a verb phrase, typically introducing an infinitive indicating the action someone intends to perform. However, it requires correction. Ludwig AI highlights that the correct form is "he decided to" for past tense.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

82%

Science

9%

Academia

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he decide to" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the proper past tense form is "he decided to". This construction is used to express a past intention or choice. While examples of the incorrect phrase are very common across various sources, particularly in News & Media, it is essential to use the correct grammatical form in formal writing. Consider alternatives such as "he chose to" or "he opted to" for stylistic variation. Ensure you avoid the common error of using the base verb form "decide" instead of the past tense "decided".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he chose to

Replaces "decide" with "chose", indicating a selection from available options.

he resolved to

Substitutes "decide" with "resolved", suggesting a firm decision or determination.

he determined to

Replaces "decide" with "determined", implying a strong and conclusive decision.

he opted to

Uses "opted" instead of "decide", conveying a choice between alternatives.

he made the decision to

Adds emphasis by explicitly stating the act of making a decision.

he inclined to

Replaces "decide" with "inclined", suggesting a predisposition or leaning towards a particular choice.

he saw fit to

Indicates that he deemed it appropriate or suitable to do something.

he felt compelled to

Conveys a sense of obligation or necessity driving the decision.

he took it upon himself to

Emphasizes personal initiative in making the decision.

he considered it best to

Highlights the deliberation process leading to the decision.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "he decide to" in a sentence?

The correct way to use this phrase is in the past tense as "he decided to". For example, "He decided to take a vacation" is grammatically sound.

Which is correct, "he decide to" or "he decided to"?

"He decided to" is the correct form. "He decide to" is grammatically incorrect because it uses the base form of the verb instead of the past tense.

What can I say instead of "he decided to"?

You can use alternatives like "he chose to", "he opted to", or "he resolved to depending on the context".

How does the meaning change if I use "he decides to" instead of "he decided to"?

"He decides to" refers to a present or habitual action, while "he decided to" refers to a past action. For instance, "He decides to go every year" means he makes that decision regularly, while "He decided to go last year" means he made that decision in the past.