it was deteriorated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was deteriorated" is not correct in standard English usage.
The correct form would typically be "it had deteriorated" or "it was deteriorating." Example: "After years of neglect, it had deteriorated beyond repair."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And interestingly, both markers were regulated by RSV or EX527: the AGE-reduced CD 31 was inhibited by the RSV-mediated Sirt 1 activation, whereas it was deteriorated by the EX527-mediated Sirt 1 inhibition.

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It was deteriorating.

The New York Times - Sports

It was deteriorating, he said.

The New York Times

"It was deteriorating into a state where it wasn't kitschy and funny anymore," Ms. Higgins said.

The New York Times - Arts

First, the situation was unlike anything any living policy maker had previously experienced, and it was deteriorating quickly.

The New York Times

If we knew it was deteriorate that much we would have played an extra spinner, a more mature spinner would have been a nice option.

BBC

But as the building, which dates from 1925, continued to accumulate history, it was deteriorating physically.

Los Angeles Times

"It's deteriorated greatly since the 1960's.

The New York Times

People say it's deteriorated.

BBC

"It's deteriorated, failed, collapsed - whatever you want to say, and results haven't been right," said Flitcroft.

BBC

Mr Rimmer said: "It's deteriorated through age, but it's also been subjected to vandalism to various attacks and theft of some of the Portland stone cappings that line the top of the wall structure".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a decline or worsening condition, use the correct tense of "deteriorate", such as "had deteriorated", "was deteriorating", or "has deteriorated", to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "was deteriorated" as it's not grammatically correct. Instead, choose the appropriate tense, like "had deteriorated" or "was deteriorating", to accurately convey the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was deteriorated" is grammatically questionable. Ludwig indicates that this phrase is not standard English, although there may be instances of similar constructions in specific contexts. The passive voice typically requires a different construction.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

32%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

3%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was deteriorated" is grammatically incorrect and rarely used in standard English. Ludwig AI flags it as non-standard. The correct alternatives include "it had deteriorated" or "it was deteriorating", depending on the intended meaning and tense. While examples exist across news, science and encyclopedic sources, it's advisable to use the grammatically correct alternatives for clarity and precision in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it had deteriorated

Uses the past perfect tense to indicate a completed action in the past, implying a prior state of better condition.

it was deteriorating

Uses the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing process of decline in the past.

it has deteriorated

Uses the present perfect tense, indicating a state resulting from a past action that continues to the present.

it declined

A simpler verb choice suggesting a decrease in quality or condition.

it worsened

Focuses on the increase in negativity or severity of the situation.

it fell into disrepair

Specifically implies a state of neglect leading to damage or decay.

it was in decline

Highlights the ongoing process of deterioration or decay.

its condition degraded

Emphasizes the reduction in the quality or state of something.

it suffered damage

Focuses on the harm or impairment experienced.

it became worse

A more general way of expressing a decline in quality or condition.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say something got worse over time?

Instead of saying "it was deteriorated", the grammatically correct options are "it had deteriorated" or "it was deteriorating". The former implies a completed process, while the latter suggests an ongoing one.

What can I say instead of "it was deteriorated" to describe a declining state?

You can use phrases like "it declined", "it worsened", or "it fell into disrepair" to describe something getting worse.

Is "it was deteriorated" grammatically correct?

No, "it was deteriorated" is not grammatically correct. The correct forms are "it had deteriorated" (past perfect) or "it was deteriorating" (past continuous).

How does the meaning change when using "it had deteriorated" versus "it was deteriorating"?

"It had deteriorated" suggests a completed process of decline before a specific point in time. "It was deteriorating" indicates that the decline was ongoing at a particular time in the past.