the vacation started

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the vacation started" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate the beginning of a vacation period. Example: "The vacation started last Friday, and we were all excited." Alternative expressions include "the holiday began" and "the trip commenced."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

When there was no end in sight -- no end in sightseeing -- and the vacation started to look like a permanent condition of existence, it turned into a vision of leisure hell.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Do Your Homework Once you know the dates of the vacation, start tracking the airline fares to get a general sense of the flight costs.

Huffington Post

It was so much fun that I was sorry when the summer vacation started, because I knew that Tania would be going to stay with her grandfather in his village.

The New Yorker

The Easter vacation started a few days later.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

"Summer vacation started in the cities during the late 19th century, when people began to be concerned about the damaging effects of too much schooling on children," says Kenneth Gold, an assistant professor of education at the College of Staten Island and author of "School's In: The History of Summer Education in American Public Schools," to be published next month by Peter Lang.

The New York Times

A few months after the Homonym Spelldown, just after summer vacation started, Toczko ran out into Grant Road and was killed by a car.

The New Yorker

In contrast, pandemic activity was well into the declining phase by the time winter vacations started in southern and central regions.

BMC Infectious Diseases

If you work all the time and never really take a vacation, start a new ritual that honors the original spirit of Labor Day.

The Guardian - Opinion

Summer vacation starts here at the end of this week.

The New York Times

Through Feb. 16, Club Med Punta Cana is offering a seven-night, all-inclusive vacation starting at $1,015 a person, down from the regular $1,400 a person, for travel through October.

The New York Times

"My vacation starts today".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about a vacation, use specific verbs to describe the start, such as "commenced" for a formal tone or "kicked off" for an informal feel. This can add nuance and clarity to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using past perfect tense when the context clearly implies the vacation began at a specific point in the past. Using simple past tense, as in "the vacation started", is generally more appropriate and concise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the vacation started" functions as a simple declarative statement. It indicates the commencement of a period of leisure. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

21%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "the vacation started" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate the beginning of a vacation period. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its validity and widespread usage across various contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Wiki. While it maintains a neutral register, you can use synonyms like "the holidays began" or "the break commenced" to vary your writing. Remember to use the simple past tense for clarity and specificity when referencing the start of a vacation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the holidays began

Replaces "vacation" with "holidays" and "started" with "began", indicating a similar commencement of a break.

the break commenced

Uses "break" instead of "vacation" and "commenced" as a more formal synonym for "started".

the trip initiated

Substitutes "vacation" with "trip" and "started" with "initiated", suggesting the beginning of a journey.

the holiday period commenced

Combines "holiday period" for "vacation" and uses "commenced" instead of "started", offering a more formal tone.

vacation time began

Reorders the words and uses "began" for "started", keeping the meaning intact.

the leave has begun

Replaces vacation with leave, mainly referring to a work leave

the time off kicked off

Uses "time off" for "vacation" and "kicked off" as a more informal way to say "started".

the getaway initiated

Uses "getaway" as a synonym for "vacation" and "initiated" for "started".

my vacation began

Replaces "the" with "my", focusing on a personal vacation commencement.

the excursion commenced

Uses "excursion" for "vacation" and "commenced" for "started", giving a more formal and specific sense of a journey.

FAQs

What are some other ways to say "the vacation started"?

You can use alternatives like "the holidays began", "the break commenced", or "the trip initiated" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "the vacation was started"?

While grammatically valid, "the vacation was started" is less common and often implies that someone or something initiated the vacation for someone else. "The vacation started" is generally more direct and natural.

How can I make the phrase "the vacation started" more specific?

You can add a time reference, such as "the vacation started last Friday" or "the summer vacation started in June". This provides more clarity about when the vacation began.

What is the difference between "the vacation started" and "the vacation has started"?

"The vacation started" refers to a specific point in the past when the vacation began, while "the vacation has started" implies that the vacation began recently and is still ongoing. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the beginning or the current state of the vacation.