it decline to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it decline to" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "it declines to"? If this is the case, you can use it when indicating that something or someone is refusing or unwilling to do something. Example: "The company declines to comment on the ongoing investigation."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Last night it decline to comment.

Independent

Why did it decline to offer evidence?

The Guardian - Opinion

Will she just, when asked about it, decline to respond?

The New Yorker

Not only did it decline to appoint a science minister the first time since the portfolio was created in 1931 but its first federal budget, released in Canberra on 13 May, contains major cuts to science funding outside of biomedical research.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Although NSF keeps its own statistics, it declined to provide them.

Science Magazine

It declined to disclose its revenues.

The New York Times

It declined to disclose its spending plan.

The New York Times - Tech

It declined to comment on its decision.

The New York Times

NICE Actimize says its revenues are steadily rising, though it declines to give figures.

The Economist

But it declined to provide the basis for its reversal.

The New York Times

It declined to discuss the timing of its decision.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct verb form. In the third-person singular present, use "declines" instead of "decline" when referring to "it".

Common error

Avoid using the base form of the verb "decline" with the pronoun "it". Ensure the verb agrees with the subject by using "declines" for the present tense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it decline to" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI explains, the correct form requires verb conjugation to match the subject "it". The base form "decline" does not agree with a singular subject in the present tense. Therefore, this phrase does not function correctly in English grammar.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science & Research

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it decline to" is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI highlights that the correct form is "it declines to" (present tense) or "it declined to" (past tense). While the phrase appears in news and scientific contexts, its incorrect grammar negatively impacts its usability. Related phrases offer grammatically sound alternatives like "it refused to" or "it chose not to". Correcting this grammatical error is crucial for clear and effective communication. The authoritative sources provided used the correct grammatical form.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it declines to

Corrects the verb tense to the third-person singular present, aligning with standard English grammar.

it refused to

Replaces "decline" with "refuse", using the past tense to indicate a past decision.

it declined to

Uses the past tense of 'decline' making it grammatically correct.

it chose not to

Emphasizes the choice made not to perform an action.

it opted out of

Suggests a formal decision to withdraw from something.

it passed on

Indicates that an opportunity or offer was not taken.

it did not consent to

Highlights a lack of agreement or permission.

it rejected the opportunity to

Focuses on the act of turning down a specific opportunity.

it was unwilling to

Expresses a lack of willingness or readiness.

it demurred to

Uses a more formal term to indicate objection or hesitation.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "it decline to" in a sentence?

The phrase "it decline to" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "it declines to" for the present tense or "it declined to" for the past tense.

What can I say instead of "it decline to"?

Instead of "it decline to", you can use phrases like "it declines to", "it refused to", or "it chose not to" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "it decline to" or "it declines to"?

"It declines to" is the correct form. The verb must agree with the singular subject "it". Using "it decline to" is a grammatical error.

What's the difference between "it declines to" and "it declined to"?

"It declines to" is present tense, indicating a current or ongoing refusal. "It declined to" is past tense, indicating a refusal that occurred in the past.