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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
it made me afraid
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "it made me afraid" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing that something caused you to feel fear or anxiety. Example: "The horror movie was so intense that it made me afraid to sleep with the lights off."
✓ Grammatically correct
News & Media
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
3 human-written examples
It made me afraid of every glossy-haired young woman coming at me on my bicycle.
News & Media
(One of them yesterday said to me, "I hate you", and it made me afraid for a second that her words weren't the senseless provoking of a nine year old but I suddenly pictured her as a twenty-nine year old saying it).
News & Media
And it made me afraid, not just for Janay, but for others who I think never report physical violence that doesn't get caught on hotel videotape.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
57 human-written examples
"It makes me afraid.
News & Media
It makes me afraid to show up".
News & Media
"It makes me afraid for my own life, you understand.
News & Media
"It makes me afraid to go to high school," said one girl, who, like her friends, refused to give her name.
News & Media
When I want to go out, walking the street and someone harasses or annoys me, it makes me afraid.
News & Media
It makes me afraid for my family.
News & Media
"It makes me afraid to return".
News & Media
Calling myself a failure doesn't make me write more, it makes me afraid to write.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly identifies what "it" refers to, avoiding ambiguity and making the sentence easy to understand.
Common error
While grammatically correct, "it made me afraid" can sound too informal for academic or professional writing. Consider using more precise and nuanced language to describe your emotional response, such as "it caused me apprehension" or "it instilled a sense of unease".
Source & Trust
85%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "it made me afraid" functions as a declarative statement expressing a personal emotional response. It describes the effect of an external stimulus on the speaker's emotional state. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and commonly used.
Frequent in
News & Media
100%
Less common in
Science
0%
Formal & Business
0%
Academia
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, the phrase "it made me afraid" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe a personal experience of fear or anxiety. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and provides several examples from reputable sources. While the phrase is most commonly found in news and media contexts, it is appropriate for both neutral and informal communication. For more formal or academic writing, it's advisable to consider alternative phrasings that provide a more nuanced description of the emotional response, as seen in the suggested alternatives. To enhance clarity, ensure that "it" refers unambiguously to the source of fear. Always remember its a very direct and clear phrase to express a feeling.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
it frightened me
A direct synonym, replacing "afraid" with "frightened"; implies a sudden, intense fear.
it scared me
Similar to "frightened me" but slightly more informal and colloquial.
it instilled fear in me
Emphasizes the act of causing fear, focusing on the source rather than the feeling itself; slightly more formal.
it caused me to be fearful
More formal and emphasizes the state of being fearful as a result of something.
it filled me with dread
Emphasizes a sense of impending doom or anxiety, rather than immediate fear.
it made me apprehensive
Implies a feeling of anxiety or unease about something that might happen in the future.
it unnerved me
Suggests a loss of composure or confidence due to something unsettling.
it gave me the creeps
More informal, suggesting a feeling of unease or mild disgust rather than intense fear.
it instilled a sense of unease
More formal; highlights the feeling of not being comfortable or secure.
it intimidated me
Highlights a feeling of being daunted or overawed, suggesting a fear of being unable to cope.
FAQs
What are some alternative ways to say "it made me afraid"?
You can use alternatives like "it frightened me", "it scared me", or "it instilled fear in me" depending on the context.
Is "it made me afraid" grammatically correct?
Yes, "it made me afraid" is grammatically correct. The sentence follows a simple subject-verb-complement structure where "it" is the subject, "made" is the verb, and "me afraid" is the object complement describing the effect on the speaker.
In what contexts is "it made me afraid" most appropriate?
The phrase "it made me afraid" is most appropriate in informal or neutral contexts, such as personal narratives, casual conversations, or news reports. It may be less suitable for formal academic or professional writing where more precise language is preferred.
How can I make the phrase "it made me afraid" more specific?
To make the phrase more specific, provide additional details about the source of the fear. For instance, "The sudden noise in the dark "it made me afraid"" clarifies what caused the fear.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
85%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested