she is ill

USAGE SUMMARY

"she is ill" is correct and can be used in written English.
For example, you could use it in a sentence like this: "My mother has been feeling under the weather lately; unfortunately, she is ill."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

She sips a thimbleful when she is ill.

The New York Times

Creighton suspects that she is ill or on drugs.

The New Yorker

She is ill for Tuesday's performance; Katarina Dalayman will replace her, as she did on Friday).

The New York Times - Arts

Then she shyly comes in and immediately falls in a faint, for she is ill.

Britannica

She is ill and the doctor has detected a heart problem.

The Guardian

She is ill and Kibbutz Megiddo's residents are wary of strangers.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

12 human-written examples

For example, the sentence "Dogs like she" is ill-formed for most English speakers.

Yale University

Even if she is ill-treated by her in-laws, it's all-too-often considered shameful for her to return to her own family.

The New York Times

Hence the announcement on Twitter, no doubt to counter fears that she is ill-suited to run her nation in this disruptive digital age.

Independent

Here's the funny part: If she is looking over your shoulder at a room full of potentially more interesting people, she is ill-mannered.

The New York Times

She has been badly directed, and she is ill-served by a script that seeks less to unravel Hedda's ultimate tragedy than to explore Upton's ideas about naturalism in the theatre.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about someone's health, consider your audience and the level of formality required. "She is ill" is a straightforward and generally acceptable way to state someone is not in good health. For official situations, avoid using colloquialisms.

Common error

While it's sometimes tempting to soften the blow by using a vague euphemism, remember that clarity is key. Overusing phrases like "not feeling quite herself" without further explanation can confuse the reader. Be direct while remaining sensitive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "she is ill" functions as a statement, specifically a declarative sentence. It asserts a state of being, indicating that a female subject is currently experiencing sickness or poor health. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

19%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

7%

Academia

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "she is ill" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase to describe a woman's state of poor health. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's appropriate for various contexts, particularly in news, scientific writing, and encyclopedic entries. Although the phrase carries a neutral tone, remember to evaluate the audience and context. The most common authoritative sources that use it are The New York Times, The Guardian and The New Yorker, making this a reliable and clear option for conveying someone's sickness. Alternatives such as "she is unwell" or "she is ailing" can be used depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

she is sick

Replaces "ill" with the more common synonym "sick".

she is unwell

Substitutes "ill" with "unwell", providing a slightly more formal alternative.

she is not well

Uses a negative construction to express the same meaning.

she is ailing

Replaces "is ill" with the more formal and less common "is ailing".

she has fallen ill

Changes the structure to emphasize the onset of the illness.

she is suffering from an illness

Expands the phrase to explicitly mention the presence of an illness.

she is indisposed

Offers a formal and somewhat old-fashioned way to say someone is unwell.

she is in poor health

Shifts the focus to her overall health condition.

she is under the weather

Employs an idiom to describe a mild illness.

she's got a bug

Uses an informal expression to indicate a minor illness.

FAQs

How can I use "she is ill" in a sentence?

You can use "she is ill" to state that someone is experiencing poor health. For example: "Because "she was ill", she couldn't attend the meeting".

What's a more formal way to say "she is ill"?

A more formal alternative to "she is ill" is "she is indisposed" or "she is ailing". These options are suitable for professional or academic contexts.

What can I say instead of "she is ill" if I want to be less direct?

If you want to be less direct, you could say "she is under the weather" or "she is not well". These are more subtle ways of indicating that someone is sick.

Is it better to say "she is sick" or "she is ill"?

Both "she is sick" and "she is ill" are correct. "Sick" is generally more common in everyday conversation, while "ill" can sound slightly more formal. The choice depends on the context and your personal preference.