prompt to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prompt to" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to indicate a request or encouragement to take action, but it lacks clarity without additional context. Example: "The system will prompt to enter your password." (This should be rephrased for clarity.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Use a writing prompt to get you started.

The Guardian - Books

Room Service It was prompt to the minute.

The New York Times - Travel

Glass did not know what to say, what prompt to supply.

The New York Times - Magazine

And below that, there is a prompt to "click here to contribute today".

The New York Times

By March 2011 the bank had yet another prompt to examine itself.

The Guardian - Business

She used this as the visual prompt to explore this story further.

The Guardian

Afterwards, the Socialist Party officials were prompt to call the event highly divisive for the left.

The Guardian - Opinion

Focusing on taking a few deep breaths can act as a prompt to slow you down.

The Guardian

He was indeed exceptionally intelligent, prompt to make decisions, and indefatigably hardworking but also insatiably ambitious.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"You may need a prompt to start the recollective search," he said.

The New York Times

Thus, a vehicle is not prompt to enjoy a given service in a limited time.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to indicate encouragement or urging, replace "prompt to" with stronger alternatives like "encourage to", "urge to", or "motivate to" for improved clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "prompt to" in passive constructions where it implies being directly triggered. Instead, revise the sentence to actively show what or who is causing the prompt, or use a different verb entirely. For example, instead of "Users are prompted to update", use "The system prompts users to update."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prompt to" often functions as part of a verb phrase, attempting to express the action of encouraging or leading someone towards a specific action. However, Ludwig AI notes that it's often grammatically incorrect and lacks clarity, necessitating the use of stronger alternatives.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

34%

Wiki

29%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "prompt to" is frequently encountered, yet often grammatically incorrect, as highlighted by Ludwig AI. While examples are common across News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources, it is important to recognize that clearer alternatives, such as "encourage to", "urge to", or "motivate to", offer improved precision and grammatical correctness. When writing, consider the intended meaning and opt for phrases that explicitly convey the encouragement or direction you aim to express.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

encourage to

Emphasizes the act of encouraging someone to do something, focusing on motivation.

urge to

Stresses the act of strongly advising or pleading with someone to do something.

induce to

Focuses on persuading or causing someone to do something.

motivate to

Highlights the act of providing a reason or incentive to do something.

compel to

Indicates forcing or obligating someone to do something.

inspire to

Focuses on filling someone with the desire or enthusiasm to do something.

invite to

Highlights the act of asking someone to do something, often in a formal or polite way.

lead to

Indicates causing something to happen or resulting in a specific outcome.

be ready to

Highlights the state of being prepared or willing to do something.

signal to

Emphasizes providing a signal or cue for someone to take action.

FAQs

How can I rephrase a sentence that includes "prompt to"?

Depending on the context, you can replace "prompt to" with alternatives like "encourage to", "urge to", or "motivate to". Consider the intended meaning and choose the phrase that best conveys the message.

What's wrong with using "prompt to" in writing?

While "prompt to" appears in some contexts, it is often considered grammatically incorrect or awkward. Alternatives like "encourage to" or "urge to" usually provide greater clarity and grammatical correctness.

Is it ever correct to use "prompt to"?

In some cases, "prompt" can be used as an adjective meaning "ready" or "quick", but the construction "prompt to" is rarely the best choice. Consider alternatives to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy.

Which is a better phrase to use: "prompt to" or "prompted to"?

While neither is ideal, "prompted to" is sometimes acceptable when used in passive voice, indicating that someone or something was prompted by an external factor. However, it's often better to rephrase the sentence for clarity. For example, instead of "The user was prompted to enter their password", you can write "The system prompted the user to enter their password".