it copies

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'it copies' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that has been copied from an original source. For example, "The company scanned the document and then used its software to make it copies."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The bacterium only forms its capsule as this phase ends and before it copies its DNA and later divides in two.

eLife

HIV is what is known as a retrovirus (this means it copies its genes into a host's cell nuclei using a mechanism called reverse transcription) but drugs that had been developed in the past to protect against retroviruses did not work well against it, partly because it is extremely mutable and could thus evolve to avoid their attentions.

The Economist

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03254.001 Before a cell divides, it copies its chromosomes.

eLife

When a digital organism replicates, it copies its genome, one instruction at a time, into empty memory.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Before a stem cell divides, it copies its DNA and the two sets of genetic instructions are then separated so that the two daughter cells both have a complete set.

eLife

First, it grows in size (G1 phase); next it copies its entire DNA content (S phase); then it grows some more (G2 phase); and, last, it splits into two new cells (M phase).

eLife

When an autonomous agent sees its own ID, it copies the associated d i and stores this at its associated cloud storage provider.

Journal of Cloud Computing: Advances, Systems and Applications

"Star Wars" introduced the notion of what film scholars call the "nostalgic blockbuster," meaning it copies older versions of its genre ("Flash Gordon," most famously) on a bigger scale.

Huffington Post

DNMT1 associates with PCNA (proliferating-cell nuclear antigen) at replication forks via its RFTS [ 84] where it copies pre-existing parental methylation patterns on to newly replicated daughter strands of DNA.

Biochemical Society Transactions

The stacker software utilizes this rule and examines for every pixel of the image the whole stack of identically located pixels and selects the image of the highest deviation value and from this image it copies the examined pixel and its neighbours into the final image of enhanced focal depth [13].

Heritage Science

The Commission is still investigating the rest of Google's behaviour in Europe, it says, and whether it favours its search results above others, and whether it copies rivals' web content.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about computer programs or digital processes, consider using "it replicates" or "it duplicates" for a more precise and technical tone.

Common error

Avoid confusing "it copies" (subject-verb) with "it's copies" (contraction of "it is" or possessive "its"). Remember that "it copies" describes an action, whereas "its copies" refers to possession.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it copies" functions as a subject-verb construction, where 'it' acts as the subject and 'copies' serves as the verb indicating an action. Ludwig AI validates this grammatical structure and its widespread usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

45%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it copies" is a grammatically correct and very common phrase used to describe the act of replication or duplication. Ludwig provides numerous examples from reputable sources across science, news, and academic fields. While versatile, consider more precise alternatives like "it replicates" or "it duplicates" in technical contexts. Ensure you don't confuse it with "it's copies". As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is widely understood and accepted in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it duplicates

Emphasizes creating an exact replica or instance.

it replicates

Often used in scientific or technical contexts, particularly biology and computing, to denote the creation of identical copies.

it reproduces

Highlights the act of generating something again, often in the same form.

it mirrors

Suggests a close resemblance, reflecting something accurately.

it imitates

Implies mimicking or emulating something, often without exact duplication.

it emulates

Similar to 'imitates' but often used in technical fields to suggest mimicking the behavior of a system or device.

it clones

Implies creating an exact genetic duplicate or a close imitation.

it mirrors itself in

Implies a reflection or representation of something within a particular context.

it counterfeits

Refers to creating a fraudulent imitation, usually for deceptive purposes.

it bootlegs

Refers to make, distribute, or sell (something, such as illicit recordings) illegally.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "it copies" to sound more formal?

In formal writing, you can replace "it copies" with phrases like "it replicates", "it duplicates", or "it emulates" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "it copies" and "it imitates"?

"It copies" implies creating a replica or duplicate, while "it imitates" suggests mimicking or following a pattern, possibly without exact replication.

Is "it copies" always grammatically correct?

Yes, "it copies" is grammatically correct when "it" refers to a singular subject and "copies" is the present tense verb. However, ensure you're not intending to use the possessive form "its" or the contraction "it's".

When is it better to use "it reproduces" instead of "it copies"?

Use "it reproduces" when referring to the generation of something again, especially in biological or mechanical processes. "It copies" is more general and can apply to any form of duplication.