Used and loved by millions
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
should be strived
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "should be strived" is not correct in standard English.
The correct form would be "should strive" or "should be strived for." You can use it when discussing goals or aspirations that require effort and determination. Example: "We should strive for excellence in all our projects to ensure success."
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
Science
News & Media
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
6 human-written examples
In educating young engineers, the same integrated approach should be strived for, because a mono disciplinary approach is often less effective.
Science
"We hope our executive students can strive for enlightened lives — it may not be attainable, but it should be strived for," Mr. Xiang said.
News & Media
Dalton Conley, chairman of the sociology department at New York University, says, "In all research endeavors, student projects included, informed consent is the ideal that should be strived for".
News & Media
What should be strived for instead is a form of autonomy that allows for full cultural and religious freedom.
News & Media
To obtain optimum information management for integrated care, semantic interoperability should be strived for [ 5].
In this context, development of models with a high predictive performance, which might include clinical risk factors, should be strived for at all times.
Science
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
54 human-written examples
Nonetheless, their story about what we should be striving for as human beings, as a society, I think is very troubling.
News & Media
"We should be striving to get it down".
News & Media
"We should be striving to be the most digitally forward nation.
News & Media
But that implies that stardom is what I should be striving for.
News & Media
Golden Gordon or Flash Gordon are the epithets you should be striving for.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When expressing an aspiration, use the active voice with "should strive" to clearly indicate the action being taken: "We should strive for excellence."
Common error
Avoid using the passive construction "should be strived" as it is grammatically awkward. Instead, opt for the active voice using "should strive" or rephrase to use "should be striven for".
Source & Trust
86%
Authority and reliability
2.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "should be strived" attempts to express necessity or recommendation towards a goal, using an auxiliary verb and a past participle. However, it is grammatically unconventional and doesn't conform to standard English usage, as indicated by Ludwig.
Frequent in
News & Media
50%
Science
50%
Formal & Business
0%
Less common in
Academia
0%
Encyclopedias
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, the phrase "should be strived" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. Ludwig suggests that alternatives like "should strive" (active voice) or "should be striven for" (passive voice, though less common) are more appropriate. While the phrase appears in some published sources, its limited usage and grammatical issues make it advisable to use more conventional phrasing to clearly express aspirations or goals. Its appearance is spread between News, Media and Science sources but it is not frequent.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
should strive
This alternative uses the active voice and conveys a direct action towards a goal.
should aim for
This option suggests a direction or target to reach.
should pursue
This implies a continued effort to achieve something.
should seek
This alternative suggests searching for or trying to find a goal.
should work towards
This conveys the idea of making progress incrementally towards a goal.
should aspire to
This phrase suggests aiming for a high or ambitious goal.
should endeavor
This alternative is a more formal way of saying "should try hard".
should be striven for
This is grammatically correct passive construction of the phrase.
should target
This focuses on specific goals that need to be achieved.
should be going for
This is a more colloquial way to say what goal needs to be aimed at.
FAQs
Is "should be strived" grammatically correct?
No, "should be strived" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing would be "should strive" or "should be striven for".
What is the best alternative to "should be strived"?
A better alternative is "should strive", which is the active voice and conveys a direct action towards a goal. Other alternatives include "should aim for" or "should pursue".
How can I use "should strive" in a sentence?
You can use "should strive" to express a goal or aspiration that requires effort. For example, "We should strive for continuous improvement in our work."
What does it mean to strive for something?
To "strive" means to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something. It implies a dedicated and persistent attempt to reach a particular goal.
Editing plus AI, all in one place.
Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
86%
Authority and reliability
2.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested