poorly formatted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "poorly formatted" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe text or documents that do not adhere to standard formatting guidelines or are difficult to read due to their layout. Example: "The report was difficult to understand because it was poorly formatted, with inconsistent font sizes and spacing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Many IT specialists call this "spelunking"–mining through cavernous log files across a server system that can potentially add up to millions of pages of poorly formatted text.

Forbes

In his own reaction to Taylor Swift's reaction to the lyrics, he sent out a poorly formatted tweet storm about the meaning of the word "bitch" and explaining that Taylor herself said that Kanye made her famous.

TechCrunch

Overall, the process from sign-up to deployment took about 4 hours, with the vast majority of that figuring out what we wanted to do and remembering how to do things like sort arrays in Python (we also spent an embarrassing 15 minutes on some poorly formatted hidden HTML fields).

TechCrunch

Poorly formatted books lead to refunds.

Huffington Post

1. Get your resume professionally designed A poorly formatted Word document just doesn't suffice these days.

Huffington Post

A typo, a poorly formatted résumé or a low GPA will often get you placed in the "no thanks" pile.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Typical deficiencies that were corrected included obsolete notations, upper and lower cases mixed up, missing characters, parts of other information such as the emergent/impulsive character of the onset attached to phase names as well as mere artefacts of parsing poorly tabulated or formatted original files.

Geoscience Letters

No one wants to read a poorly written or formatted article, so this is where skills and patience will count.

WikiHow

The identification of additional risk loci is likely to require genotyping larger series using arrays formatted to capture variants poorly tagged by current platforms.

Human Molecular Genetics

Those conducting larger-scale PCR analysis will often find themselves hampered by researchers' webpages that provide incomplete, poorly-formatted, or all-together missing publication lists.

Plosone

So far, ad formats on mobile have been simply copies of tried and trusted web formats, poorly suited to the new environment.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that your own writing and documents are well-formatted to avoid negative perceptions; clear formatting enhances credibility and comprehension.

Common error

Avoid using "poorly formatted" as a general criticism; be specific about what aspects of the formatting are deficient (e.g., inconsistent font sizes, lack of clear headings) to provide constructive feedback.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poorly formatted" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It describes something that lacks proper formatting, making it difficult to read or use. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in written English, conveying a clear meaning of deficient layout or structure.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "poorly formatted" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to describe something that lacks proper layout or structure. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. Its neutral tone makes it suitable for diverse contexts, from News & Media to scientific publications. When using the phrase, it's crucial to be specific about the formatting issues to offer constructive criticism. Alternatives like "badly formatted" or "improperly formatted" can be used depending on the desired emphasis. Mastering its usage ensures clarity and professionalism in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

badly formatted

Replaces "poorly" with "badly", a direct synonym, maintaining the same meaning.

improperly formatted

Uses "improperly" to emphasize the incorrectness of the formatting.

incorrectly formatted

Focuses on the factual inaccuracy of the formatting.

badly structured

Shifts the focus to the overall structure rather than the specific formatting.

poorly structured

Another variation focusing on the structure's deficiency.

ill-formatted

A more formal alternative using "ill-" to indicate poor quality.

deficiently formatted

Emphasizes the lacking aspects of the formatting.

suboptimally formatted

Highlights that the formatting is less than ideal.

inadequately formatted

Focuses on the insufficiency of the formatting.

clumsily formatted

Describes the formatting as awkward or unskillful.

FAQs

What does "poorly formatted" mean?

"Poorly formatted" means that something isn't arranged correctly, making it difficult to read or use. It implies a lack of attention to layout and structure, leading to a negative user experience.

How can I fix something that is "poorly formatted"?

To fix something "poorly formatted", start by identifying the specific issues, such as inconsistent fonts, improper spacing, or missing headings. Then, apply formatting guidelines to create a clear and organized structure.

What are some alternatives to "poorly formatted"?

Alternatives to "poorly formatted" include "badly formatted", "improperly formatted", or "badly structured", depending on the specific issue you want to emphasize.

Is it better to say "poorly formatted" or "badly formatted"?

Both "poorly formatted" and "badly formatted" are acceptable. The choice often depends on personal preference, although "poorly formatted" might sound slightly more formal.