he started crying

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he started crying" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a moment when someone begins to cry, often in response to an emotional situation. Example: "When he heard the news, he started crying, unable to contain his emotions any longer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He started crying.

The New Yorker

And then he started crying.

The New York Times

He started crying as soon as he saw me.

The New York Times - Magazine

When he started crying, someone called a doctor.

The New York Times - Arts

Weedman says that Simmons was hilarious — "until he started crying.

The New Yorker

And he started crying: it really hit him, the loss.

The Guardian - Arts

We embraced for like an hour and then he started crying.

The New Yorker

"He started crying uncontrollably and he had to pull off the road," Mr. Ungar recalled.

The New York Times

But then his Cornish reserve failed him, and he started crying, too.

The New Yorker

"He started crying, his son started crying, and I started crying," Mr. Lewis said in an interview on Monday.

The New York Times

When Jason learned that he had missed the cake, he started crying.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he started crying" to clearly and directly indicate the beginning of the act of crying. This phrase is universally understood and suitable for most contexts.

Common error

While effective, overusing "he started crying" can make your writing repetitive. Vary your descriptions with alternatives like "tears welled up" or "he choked back a sob" to enhance readability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he started crying" functions as a narrative device to indicate the commencement of an emotional response. It's a direct way to introduce the action of crying. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is usable and correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "he started crying" is a grammatically sound and very common phrase used to denote the beginning of the act of crying. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. It's primarily found in news and media contexts, serving to convey emotion and vulnerability in a neutral register. While direct and effective, consider varying your descriptive language with alternatives like "he began to weep" or "he burst into tears" to add nuance to your writing. Remember that while it's a suitable phrasing for a variety of contexts, it can be overused so select it wisely.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he burst into tears

Suggests a sudden and uncontrolled onset of crying, emphasizing the intensity of the emotion.

he began to weep

Implies a more gentle or quiet form of crying, focusing on the shedding of tears rather than the sound or intensity.

he couldn't hold back the tears

Highlights the inability to suppress the crying, suggesting strong emotions overpowering his control.

he broke down in tears

Emphasizes a complete emotional collapse, where crying is a significant component.

he was on the verge of tears

Suggests being very close to crying, indicating a delicate emotional state.

he teared up

Indicates that his eyes filled with tears, suggesting a suppression or early stage of crying.

he gave way to tears

Implies a moment of giving in to the emotion and allowing tears to flow.

he was moved to tears

Suggests that strong emotions, often of sadness, empathy or happiness, caused him to cry.

he succumbed to tears

implies that he eventually yielded to tears.

tears welled up in his eyes

Focuses on the physical manifestation of tears forming, suggesting an impending cry.

FAQs

How can I use "he started crying" in a sentence?

"He started crying" is used to describe the moment someone begins to cry. Example: "When he heard the news, "he started crying", overwhelmed by emotion."

What can I say instead of "he started crying"?

You can use alternatives like "he began to weep", "he burst into tears", or "he teared up" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "he started crying"?

Yes, ""he started crying"" is grammatically correct and a common way to describe the beginning of the act of crying.

What's the difference between "he started crying" and "he was crying"?

"He started crying" indicates the beginning of the action, whereas "he was crying" describes a state of crying that is already in progress.