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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
he has complicated
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "he has complicated" is not correct in standard English usage.
It may be intended to convey that he has made something more complex, but it requires additional context or a different structure to be clear. Example: "He has complicated the situation by introducing new variables that we hadn't considered."
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
News & Media
Alternative expressions(6)
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
9 human-written examples
He has complicated love affairs with Chinese women.
News & Media
But he has complicated his medium, too, by mixing drama and documentary, and actors and non-actors, to dizzying effect.
News & Media
He has been delighted to visit the U.S. twice, though he has complicated feelings about the place.
News & Media
Banner spends several minutes on the album theorizing about recording careers — his own, Prince's, Curtis Mayfield's — and how he has complicated his commercial appeal by doing things like wearing a suit on his last album cover.
News & Media
The decision may been taken by the Vatican's relatively inexperienced new deputy foreign minister, and if so, would not be the first time he has complicated Vatican foreign relations.
News & Media
She was unclear whether this was attributable to the newly-appointed deputy foreign minister of the Vatican, Mgr Ettore Balestrero, whom she described as "relatively inexperienced", adding that "this would not be the first time he has complicated Vatican foreign relations".
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
51 human-written examples
(Good question!)" Bill T. Jones told me that he had complicated feelings about her approach, "because a hallmark of many of us who come from that generation after Martha Graham or Merce Cunningham, even after Trisha Brown, was finding another way to move.
News & Media
But then there are those times when Plato is knee deep in the common stink, yelling at his ball to "bite" or, as he did a number of times at Doral, applying the cryo-steel face of the SasQuatch Tour 460 to a tee-box marker in disgust because once again he had complicated his life with a lousy drive.
News & Media
Jerusalem, he said, also has complicated merging situations and people walking outside of crosswalks.
News & Media
"This has complicated it tenfold".
News & Media
Timing has complicated those choices.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Consider restructuring the sentence for better grammatical flow. For example, instead of "He has complicated," try "He has made things more complicated".
Common error
Avoid using "he has complicated" without specifying what was complicated. This lack of object makes the sentence grammatically incomplete and confusing.
Source & Trust
93%
Authority and reliability
2.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase is intended to function as a verb phrase indicating that someone has made something more complex. However, as Ludwig AI notes, it requires additional context or a different structure to achieve clarity. It often needs an object to specify what was complicated.
Frequent in
News & Media
75%
Wiki
15%
Science
10%
Less common in
Formal & Business
0%
Encyclopedias
0%
Social Media
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, while the phrase "he has complicated" appears in various contexts, it is often considered grammatically incorrect without an object to clarify what was made more complex. Ludwig AI highlights that it requires additional context or restructuring for better clarity. The phrase is most frequently found in News & Media sources. For improved writing, consider using alternatives like "he made it complicated" or specifying what was complicated, such as "he has complicated the situation". Despite appearing in credible sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian, rephrasing is usually advisable for clarity and grammatical correctness.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
he made more complex
Uses a more direct verb construction to convey the act of making something complicated.
he introduced complexity
Focuses on the introduction of complexity as the result of his actions.
he added a complication
Highlights the addition of a specific complicating factor.
he muddled
A simpler word suggesting he made something confusing.
he convoluted
Implies twisting or complicating something to a high degree.
he intricate
Action of making something more intricate and detailed.
he tangled
Suggests that he has made the situation tangled.
he exacerbated
Suggests that he worsened the situation.
he worsened the situation
Directly states that the situation deteriorated due to his actions.
he mixed things up
An informal way of saying he confused things.
FAQs
What's a more grammatically correct way to say "he has complicated"?
Instead of saying "he has complicated", you could say "he has made it complicated" or "he has added complexity". These alternatives provide better grammatical structure and clarity.
How to use the idea of "he has complicated" in a sentence?
For a clear sentence, specify what was complicated. For example, "He has complicated the situation /s/worsened+the+situation by introducing new rules".
What does it mean when someone says "he has complicated things"?
It means he has made something more difficult or confusing. You might also say "he has muddled /s/muddled things up" or "he has introduced /s/introduced+complexity".
Is "he complicated" the same as "he has complicated"?
"He complicated" implies a past action, while "he has complicated" is meant to indicate a present perfect state, but it's often grammatically awkward. Rephrasing is recommended, such as "he made things complicated /s/made+things+complicated".
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
93%
Authority and reliability
2.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested