made preparations

USAGE SUMMARY

"made preparations" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to any kind of planning or organizing ahead of time. For example, "We made preparations for the party, so everything went off without a hitch."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

After some hours of happy bonhomie mixed with more renunciations of man-made democracy, we made preparations to follow the Muslim brothers to Paris.

Vice

In the newsroom, staffers made preparations to publish.

The New Yorker

They should have made preparations for their future".

The New York Times

Prison authorities in England and Wales have made preparations for Taylor's arrival.

The Guardian

In 37 B.C., he made preparations for an expedition (funded by Cleopatra) to conquer Parthia.

The New Yorker

"I am sure the five or six biggest Greek corporations have made preparations.

The Guardian

They clearly hadn't made preparations for this disaster that somebody more financially sophisticated might have.

The New York Times - Magazine

The United States, France and the United Nations made preparations to evacuate expatriates.

The New York Times

They are familiar with Mosul, they have dug tunnels and made preparations for over two years.

The Guardian

This victory strengthened Shane O'Neill's position, but the English made preparations for his subjugation.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He canceled the season and in the summer made preparations to hire replacement players.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "made preparations", ensure the context clearly indicates what you are preparing for. Specifying the object of preparation provides clarity and strengthens the sentence's impact.

Common error

Avoid phrasing sentences using "made preparations" in an overly passive manner. Instead of "Preparations were made", opt for the active voice: "They made preparations" for a more direct and engaging statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "made preparations" functions as a verb phrase, typically used to describe the act of organizing and planning in advance. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Academia

15%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "made preparations" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for describing the act of proactively planning and organizing for future events. Ludwig AI confirms its wide applicability. While generally neutral in register, it can be tailored to suit specific contexts by using synonyms such as "prepared" or "took steps". Remember to avoid passive voice constructions and always specify the object of preparation for maximum clarity. Its prevalence across news media, academic texts and encyclopedias underscores its versatility and reliability in diverse writing scenarios. Keep in mind that you are describing "made preparations", so the focus should be on the actions taken not the things prepared.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prepared

A more concise verb that conveys the same action of getting ready.

got ready

An informal alternative, suitable for less formal contexts.

readied themselves

Emphasizes the reflexive action of preparing oneself or a group.

took steps

Highlights the actions taken to prepare, emphasizing process.

laid the groundwork

Implies foundational work or planning as part of the preparation.

geared up

Suggests readiness for a specific event or challenge.

put measures in place

Highlights the implementation of specific actions for readiness.

arranged

Focuses on the organizational aspect of preparing.

set things in motion

Highlights initiating actions to ensure readiness.

paved the way

Implies creating conditions for a future event or outcome.

FAQs

What does it mean to say someone "made preparations"?

Saying someone "made preparations" means they planned and organized in advance to be ready for a future event or situation. It implies a proactive approach to ensure a smoother outcome.

How can I use "made preparations" in a sentence?

You can use "made preparations" to describe actions taken to get ready for something. For example, "The team "made preparations" for the conference by booking the venue and arranging speakers".

What are some alternatives to "made preparations"?

Alternatives include "prepared", "got ready", or "took steps", depending on the level of formality and the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "made preparations" formal or informal?

"Made preparations" is generally considered neutral to slightly formal. It's appropriate for most writing contexts but can be replaced with more informal alternatives like "got ready" for casual conversations.