what has occurred

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "what has occurred" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use the phrase when you are trying to ask what happened in a certain situation. For example, "Can you tell me what has occurred here?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But that is exactly what has occurred.

The Economist

What has occurred subsequently is without precedent".

The Guardian - Sport

Yet this is what has occurred.

The New York Times

They've been justified and substantiated by what has occurred".

The New York Times

It is the reverse of what has occurred in France".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

What has occurred is a warped parody of this idea.

The Guardian - Opinion

And that, of course, is exactly what has occurred.

The Guardian

That is what has occurred in this situation," Martin said.

The Washington Post

What has occurred is a proliferation of approaches to the development of performance measures.

European Management Journal

"I won't attempt to address what has occurred, or is reported to have occurred.

The New York Times

That has made what has occurred over the last two weeks even harder to fathom.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "what has occurred" when seeking a comprehensive understanding of past events, especially in formal or official contexts. It's more appropriate when inquiring about the full scope of incidents rather than just a single action.

Common error

Avoid using "what has occurred" in casual conversations. Simpler alternatives like "what happened" are often more suitable and natural in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "what has occurred" functions as a noun clause, often serving as the subject or object of a verb or as a complement. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and serves to encapsulate a series of events or a situation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "what has occurred" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions as a noun clause to seek information about past events. While suitable for formal and neutral contexts like news reporting and official inquiries, it's less fitting for casual conversations. Semantically related alternatives such as "what happened" or "what took place" may be more appropriate in informal settings. This phrase exhibits high usage in "News & Media", followed by "Science" and "Formal & Business" categories.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

what transpired

This alternative implies a more formal or official tone.

what took place

This is a more neutral and common alternative.

what happened

This is a simpler and more direct alternative.

the events that unfolded

This alternative suggests a sequence of events.

the situation that arose

This implies a specific set of circumstances came into existence.

the things that came to pass

This alternative has a slightly more archaic or formal tone.

the reality that unfolded

Focuses on the unveiling of a certain reality.

the course of events

This alternative emphasizes the progression of incidents.

what came about

This is a more concise way of asking about the outcome.

the developments that ensued

This phrase is suitable for describing consequences or follow-up actions.

FAQs

How to use "what has occurred" in a sentence?

You can use "what has occurred" to inquire about a sequence of events or a specific situation. For example, "The investigation will determine what has occurred."

What can I say instead of "what has occurred"?

You can use alternatives like "what happened", "what took place", or "what transpired" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "what has occurred" or "what had occurred"?

"What has occurred" refers to something that happened recently and has relevance to the present. "What had occurred" refers to something that happened in the past before another past event.

What's the difference between "what has occurred" and "what happened"?

"What has occurred" is generally more formal and can imply a more complex or significant series of events, whereas "what happened" is more direct and commonly used in everyday language.