is under achievement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is under achievement" is not correct in standard English; it should be "is underachievement" or "is under-achieving." You can use it when discussing a situation where someone is not reaching their full potential or expected level of performance.
Example: "The student's performance in class is underachievement, as they have the capability to excel."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

She rightly points out that the real cause of the under-representation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds is "under-achievement at school and poor advice on the best choices of A-level subjects and university degree course".

The Guardian - Opinion

"The root cause of the under-representation of disadvantaged pupils is under-achievement at school and poor advice on the best choices of A-level subjects and university degree courses," she said.

BBC

It takes place outside normal school hours and has almost become a necessity to ensure that students can meet the high expectations of their school, parents and peers.ALAN LIMSingaporeSIR--You conclude that there is little evidence to support the argument that the main cause of educational under-achievement is under-funding.

The Economist

But so do New Zealand's teenagers and they do not do any better than, say, Norwegians, who spend an unusually short time on lessons in both subjects.Next and of particular interest to cash-strapped governments there appears to be little evidence to support the argument, often heard from teachers' unions, that the main cause of educational under-achievement is under-funding.

The Economist

The achievements of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) should not be under-estimated.

BBC

Yet that achievement is under threat because the European elite, in its arrogance, locked the Continent into a monetary system that recreated the rigidities of the gold standard, and — like the gold standard in the 1930s — has turned into a deadly trap.

The New York Times

But the A-levels which used to provide that preparation have changed into a school-leaving qualification, and universities have had to nip and tuck what they teach accordingly.A system predicated on achievement, not potential, is under further pressure from a government that wants universities to admit more children from state schools, many of which offer a sketchy academic education.

The Economist

The series win Down Under is an achievement of which the England captain will be justifiably, if discreetly, proud.

The Guardian - Sport

"The mere contact is an achievement under these circumstances," said Ozdem Sanberk, a retired senior Turkish diplomat who is director of the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation, the conference sponsor.

The New York Times

The last example of this kind of achievement was under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.

BBC

And there is a feeling in the camp that the last few years have been littered with under-achievement.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "is under achievement". Instead, use grammatically correct alternatives such as "is underachieving" or "exhibits underachievement".

Common error

The common mistake is treating "underachievement" as two separate words in this context. Remember that "underachievement" functions as a single noun or that "underachieving" can be used as a verb. For example, using "is underachieving" instead of the incorrect "is under achievement".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is under achievement" is grammatically incorrect. "Underachievement" functions as a noun and needs to be used as such. Ludwig AI confirms this, suggesting corrections focus on proper grammatical structure.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is under achievement" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. As Ludwig AI points out, a more appropriate way to express this concept is to use "is "underachieving"" or to rephrase the sentence to correctly use the noun ""underachievement"". Remember that ""underachievement"" functions as a single noun and not as separate words in this context. Correcting this phrase ensures clarity and grammatical accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is underachieving

This changes the phrase to a verb form, indicating a current state of not performing well.

is not achieving

This alternative uses a negative construction to convey a lack of accomplishment.

is performing below expectations

This provides a more detailed explanation of the substandard performance.

is falling short of potential

This highlights the discrepancy between actual and possible performance.

shows underachievement

This uses underachievement as a noun, indicating a displayed characteristic.

exhibits poor performance

This alternative focuses on the observable aspect of performance.

is substandard

This offers a concise way to describe the performance quality.

is lacking in achievement

This rephrases the concept using "lacking" to indicate a deficiency.

is deficient in accomplishment

This uses more formal vocabulary to express a lack of success.

is not measuring up

This provides an idiomatic alternative indicating failure to meet standards.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say someone isn't reaching their potential?

Instead of the incorrect phrase "is under achievement", use grammatically correct alternatives such as "is underachieving", "is not achieving", or "shows "underachievement"".

How can I use "underachievement" correctly in a sentence?

Use "underachievement" as a noun. For example, "The student's performance is an example of "underachievement"." You can also use the verb form "underachieve", as in "The student tends to "underachieve" in mathematics."

What are some alternatives to "is under achievement" that are grammatically sound?

Consider using phrases like "is performing below expectations", "is falling short of potential", or "is "substandard"" to convey a similar meaning in a grammatically correct manner.

Why is "is under achievement" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase incorrectly separates "under" and "achievement" when "underachievement" should be treated as a single noun. A correct construction would be to use "underachievement" directly or use the verb form "is "underachieving"".