unnecessary errors

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unnecessary errors" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to mistakes or blunders that could have been avoided if someone had been more attentive. For example: "The student was reprimanded for making unnecessary errors on his math assignment."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Doctors and nurses don't want to speak up for fear of assuming legal liability, and this causes unnecessary errors.

The New York Times

6/10 Greig Laidlaw Laidlaww had a decent game and was creative, although an early missed kick and a poor missed touch were unnecessary errors.

Independent

However, the use of these mode shapes in the inverse problem of force identification would lead to unnecessary errors due to their inherent inaccuracy.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

On Thursday, Benfica turned the game around with two quickfire goals just after the hour mark after Pardew's side made unnecessary errors at a rain-soaked Estadio da Luz.

BBC

The current convention of publishing approximate coordinates that were derived from study-specific heuristics can lead to unnecessary errors and misannotations of complicated variants.

Bioinformatics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Using the deeper thermal conductivity measurements would introduce unnecessary error since there is not an equally deep equilibrium thermal gradient to use for heat flow calculation.

Geothermal Energy

Seeing Arsenal capitalise on an unnecessary error is vaguely unnerving, unnatural even.

Vice

The addition of the random error was done as the last step after calculating the actual values of X and Y to avoid unnecessary error propagation.

Plosone

Multiple data entry is unnecessary, error-prone, tedious and time-consuming.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

We considered the use of live sheep for this study, however, the possible change in footrot lesions over time [ 23], (even within hours the foot can change in highly conducive environment) and the difficulty in restraining live sheep to allow controlled observation of the feet for a specified time period would have introduced unnecessary error into the study.

BMC Veterinary Research

Remedy has developed a proprietary technology platform that combines powerful error detection algorithms with a network of medical billing specialists to eliminate unnecessary medical errors and overcharges.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for conciseness, replace "unnecessary errors" with shorter alternatives such as "avoidable mistakes" or "needless errors".

Common error

While "unnecessary errors" is generally acceptable, consider using more precise or formal alternatives like "avoidable mistakes" or "preventable inaccuracies" in highly formal or academic writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unnecessary errors" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition. It refers to mistakes that could have been avoided with reasonable care or attention, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "unnecessary errors" describes mistakes that could reasonably have been avoided. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is grammatically sound and appropriate for general usage, although it suggests more formal alternatives might be preferable in certain academic or scientific contexts. The phrase is most frequently found in science and news reporting, though its presence remains relatively uncommon. By focusing on preventability, it highlights the importance of improved processes and heightened attention to detail.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

avoidable mistakes

Emphasizes the preventability of the errors.

needless mistakes

Highlights the lack of necessity for the errors.

gratuitous errors

Suggests the errors were uncalled for and excessive.

unwarranted errors

Indicates the errors were unjustified.

superfluous errors

Points out the errors were redundant and in excess of what was needed.

extraneous errors

Highlights the errors were not essential or pertinent.

unforced errors

Implies the errors were not caused by external pressure.

unjustified mistakes

Suggests a lack of valid reason or excuse for the mistakes.

pointless errors

Stresses the lack of purpose or benefit associated with the errors.

fruitless mistakes

Emphasizes the lack of positive results or outcomes from the mistakes.

FAQs

How can I use "unnecessary errors" in a sentence?

You can use "unnecessary errors" to describe mistakes that could have been avoided with more care or attention. For instance, "The report contained several "avoidable mistakes" due to a lack of proofreading, leading to "unnecessary errors"".

What are some alternatives to "unnecessary errors"?

Alternatives include "needless mistakes", "avoidable mistakes", or "gratuitous errors", each emphasizing the preventability or lack of justification for the mistakes.

Is it redundant to say "unnecessary errors"?

While all errors are technically "unnecessary", the phrase emphasizes that the errors were particularly avoidable or resulted from a lack of due diligence. Using the phrase can highlight the importance of preventing such mistakes in the future.

What's the difference between "unnecessary errors" and "careless mistakes"?

"Careless mistakes" implies that the errors resulted from a lack of attention or focus, whereas "unnecessary errors" emphasizes that the errors could have been easily prevented with better processes or foresight. Therefore, the main difference is that unnecessary errors, at least in theory, are more about process than about individual carelessness.