needs to be discussion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "needs to be discussion" is not correct in English.
It should be "needs to be a discussion." You can use it when indicating that a topic requires conversation or deliberation. Example: "This issue needs to be a discussion among all team members to ensure everyone's input is considered."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"There needs to be discussion about how, and in what environments, gadgets like these can be used openly," he said.

BBC

When these situations occur, there needs to be discussion between the pharmacist and the prescriber and administering nurse, as well as with the patient.

European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Wallace said Trump had made statements that were "flat wrong" and that there needed to be discussion about "the president's honesty".

Huffington Post

Should the worst happen, I imagine there would need to be discussions with the club about the future.

The Guardian - Sport

She added that there also needed to be discussions about how the UK would replace EU funding which is supporting the revival of British clothing factories and training.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"There do need to be discussions about what population level the wolves need to reach to be fully recovered," Carroll says.

Science Magazine

There need to be discussions about why things like out-of-wedlock births are happening.

Huffington Post

Please, there needs to be more discussion on endometriosis and more awareness and discussion on bio-identical hormones in the UK.

The Guardian

Meanwhile, Microsoft founder Bill Gates said in a discussion on Reddit: "I think there needs to be a discussion about when the government should be able to gather information.

The Guardian - Tech

In a separate interview, Fabricant told Sky News: "There is not going to be any discussion for a good 24 months yet with Ukip, but I do think there needs to be a discussion in the Conservative party".

The Guardian

There needs to be a discussion about it".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the grammatically correct form, "needs to be a discussion", especially in formal writing. This ensures clarity and professionalism.

Common error

The most frequent mistake is omitting the article "a" before "discussion." Remember to include "a" to ensure grammatical correctness: "needs to be a discussion", not "needs to be discussion".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "needs to be discussion" functions as an incorrect expression suggesting a requirement for conversation or deliberation. According to Ludwig AI, the grammatically correct form is "needs to be a discussion".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "needs to be discussion" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "needs to be a discussion", which indicates that a conversation or deliberation is required on a specific topic. As Ludwig AI highlights, the grammatical status of the phrase is incorrect, even though examples can be found across various sources. When writing, especially in formal or professional settings, it is important to use the grammatically correct version or explore alternatives such as "a discussion is needed" or "requires discussion". The frequency of this incorrect phrase is uncommon, suggesting that while it appears, it's not a widely accepted usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a discussion is needed

Changes the structure to emphasize the requirement of a discussion.

discussion is necessary

Replaces "needed" with "necessary" to highlight the importance of the discussion.

there must be a discussion

Emphasizes obligation using "must" instead of "needs".

a dialogue is required

Substitutes "discussion" with the more formal term "dialogue".

it is important to discuss

Shifts the focus to the act of discussing rather than the existence of a discussion.

we should have a discussion

Suggests a course of action in the form of a recommendation.

it calls for a discussion

Implies the situation demands a conversation.

the matter requires discussion

Highlights that the topic at hand necessitates further deliberation.

a conversation is in order

Indicates a formal need for a conversation to take place.

let's discuss it

Offers a direct and actionable suggestion to initiate a conversation.

FAQs

How to correct the phrase "needs to be discussion"?

The correct phrase is "needs to be a discussion." The article "a" is required for grammatical accuracy.

What's the difference between "needs to be discussion" and "needs to be discussed"?

"Needs to be discussion" is grammatically incorrect. "Needs to be discussed" is passive and means the topic requires examination. "Needs to be a discussion" indicates the necessity for a conversation.

What can I say instead of "needs to be a discussion"?

Alternatives include "a discussion is needed", "discussion is necessary", or "it is important to discuss" depending on the specific context.

Is "needs to be discussion" ever acceptable?

While occasionally found in informal contexts, "needs to be discussion" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's always better to use the correct phrase, "needs to be a discussion", or alternatives like "requires discussion".