left failed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "left failed" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to describe a situation where something on the left side has failed, but it lacks clarity and context. Example: "The left failed to deliver the expected results during the project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

Months of attempts at coalition-building, right and left, failed.

The Guardian - Opinion

The 2003 invasion of Iraq "left failed predictions lying about the landscape like burnt-out tanks".

The New York Times - Books

The left failed to get that message after December's close-run elections.

The Guardian

The left failed to elect many candidates before World War II, and all of Japan's traditional parties were dissolved in 1940.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Mustangs' attempt to tie the game with 5 seconds left failed when Damon Hancock was fouled, made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second.

The New York Times - Sports

The Manhattan district attorney's office said that Mr. Gidron, left, failed to pay more than $800,000 in sales tax collected since August 2003 at Gidron Cadillac Oldsmobile, his dealership in Yonkers.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

In its way, it was a rational response to a support system that offered her little means of escape; her final attempt to leave failed when her request for a restraining order in Maine was refused.

The New Yorker

Today, though, there are some very heartening signs that we may be ready to leave failed policies behind.

Huffington Post

"Why doesn't she just leave?" fails all of these women as an attitude and especially as a treatment plan.

Huffington Post

The late afternoon sun, slanting through the yellow acacia leaves, failed to warm.

Forbes

Similar extracts from wild-type seeds as well as from transgenic leaves failed to produce this product.

BMC Plant Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "left failed" due to its grammatical ambiguity. Rephrase to clearly indicate what was left and what failed, such as "the project was left unfinished and ultimately failed".

Common error

Avoid using "left failed" as a concise way to indicate causality or consequence. Instead, use a more explicit phrase like "leaving it to fail" or "because it was left, it failed" to ensure clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "left failed" functions as a verb phrase, attempting to describe a sequence where something was abandoned or remained in a state and then experienced failure. However, according to Ludwig AI, the phrase lacks clarity and isn't grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

8%

Social Media

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "left failed" appears in various contexts, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect and lacks clarity. Ludwig AI highlights its ambiguity. It attempts to convey a causal relationship between abandonment and failure but is better expressed through more explicit and grammatically sound alternatives such as "was left to fail" or "it was abandoned and then failed". Its usage spans across news, science, and encyclopedic sources, indicating a neutral register, but the overall frequency suggests it's a common yet problematic phrasing. Therefore, it's advisable to avoid "left failed" in favor of clearer, more grammatically correct alternatives to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

resulted in failure

Highlights that leaving something resulted in failure.

was abandoned and failed

Highlights both abandonment and subsequent failure.

proved to be a failure

Emphasizes the outcome of something after being left.

turned out to be a failure

Highlights the result was failure.

remained a failure

Focuses on the continuous state of failure after being left.

was consigned to failure

Emphasizes the predetermination of failure after being left.

ended unsuccessfully

Emphasizes the unsuccessful conclusion of an action or process.

was left unsuccessful

Rephrases to emphasize lack of success after being left in a specific state.

was left to fall apart

Focuses on the gradual deterioration leading to failure.

was left incomplete

Shifts the focus to the lack of completion rather than outright failure.

FAQs

What does "left failed" mean?

The phrase "left failed" is grammatically questionable and open to interpretation. It generally suggests that something was abandoned or left in a certain condition and subsequently failed. A clearer phrasing would specify what was left and what failed, such as "the system that we "abandoned", failed".

Is it grammatically correct to say "left failed"?

No, "left failed" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to rephrase it to something like "was left to fail" or "it was left and then failed" for better clarity and grammatical accuracy.

What are some alternatives to "left failed"?

Alternatives to "left failed" include "was left to fail", "abandoned and then failed", or specifying what was left in a state that caused it to fail. For example, "the business was left without funding and subsequently "collapsed"".

How can I use a more precise phrase instead of "left failed"?

To be more precise, identify what was left and what the consequence was. For example, instead of "left failed", you might say "the team was left without leadership and the project failed" or "the machine was left unrepaired and "malfunctioned"".