i start losing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "i start losing" is not correct in written English due to the lowercase "i." You can use it when discussing the beginning of a process where you feel you are losing something, such as a game, a competition, or even motivation.
Example: "As the game progressed, I start losing my focus and making mistakes."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"When I start losing them, I'll reconsider".

The New York Times

"I get too deep in the weeds too fast, and I start losing people," he told me.

The New York Times

If I start giving away eggs, I start losing money". So, like owners of every other Lanzhou noodle shop, Mr. Zhang hopes to succeed by giving Lanzhou residents what they most seem to want -- good noodles.

The New York Times

But it comes when I was like 15, that's when I realised that no, this is not a job I should do because … That's when I stop going to school, when I start losing friends, that's when I start again feeling the pain that the girls are having.

The Guardian

If so, this is a welcome departure from the silly "precautionary principle" which catastrophists used as a backstop to debate - ie, if I start losing the debate, I can claim that even if there is only a small chance I am right, then we still should do what I advocate because the worst case scenario is so bad.

Forbes

"If I start losing, maybe I should give it up," she says, quickly laughing and correcting herself.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"I started losing confidence.

The New York Times - Sports

"I started losing my mind," he says.

The Guardian - Music

I started losing races, which was something I never did.

The New Yorker

"Each day, I started losing people," he recalled.

The New Yorker

Then I cut it because I started losing it.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure correct capitalization and grammar by using "I start to lose" or "I am starting to lose". This simple adjustment significantly improves clarity and credibility.

Common error

Always capitalize the pronoun "I". Using a lowercase "i" makes the sentence grammatically incorrect and unprofessional.

Linguistic Context

The phrase, when corrected to "I start to lose", functions as a verb phrase indicating the beginning of a process or action, specifically the act of losing something. Ludwig confirms that the lowercase "i" is incorrect.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "i start losing" is grammatically incorrect due to the uncapitalized pronoun "i". The correct forms are "I start to lose" or "I am starting to lose". As Ludwig AI clarifies, the lowercase "i" is an error that should be avoided in formal writing. When used correctly, the phrase indicates the beginning of a process of decline or loss, covering areas such as physical abilities, mental state, or material possessions. While the phrase appears in various contexts, it is most frequently found in News & Media and Academia. By ensuring proper capitalization and grammatical structure, you can use this phrase effectively to convey the onset of a losing trend.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

i start to lose

Inserts "to" before "lose", correcting the grammatical structure.

i begin to lose

Replaces "start" with "begin", a synonym, offering a slightly more formal tone.

i am starting to lose

Uses the present continuous tense to emphasize the ongoing nature of the loss.

i am beginning to lose

Combines "begin" and the present continuous tense.

i find myself losing

Highlights the speaker's discovery of their loss, adding a reflexive element.

i commence losing

Uses "commence" for a more formal start.

i am about to lose

Similar to "on the verge of losing", but more direct.

i am on the verge of losing

Indicates an imminent loss.

i'm starting to slip

Uses the idiom "slip" to denote a gradual decline or loss of position/ability.

i'm beginning to fail

Focuses on the aspect of failure as the outcome of the beginning process.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "i start losing"?

The correct way to phrase this is "I start to lose" or "I am starting to lose". The first correction adds the article 'to' while the second uses the present continuous tense.

Is "i start losing" grammatically correct?

No, "i start losing" is grammatically incorrect. The pronoun "I" must always be capitalized. A better phrasing is to include 'to': "I start to lose".

What can I say instead of "i start losing"?

You can use alternatives like "I begin to lose", "I am starting to lose", or "I am beginning to lose", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

How can I use "I start to lose" in a sentence?

You can use "I start to lose" in sentences like: "As the game progresses, "I start to lose" my focus and make mistakes".