Going through the documents

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "going through the documents" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to describe a process of reviewing or examining official documents. For example, "Before the meeting, I spent several hours going through the documents that had been sent to us."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Our national security editor, Spencer Ackerman, is going through the documents.

The Guardian

The interviewer is taking his time going through the documents that he has removed from the binder.

The New Yorker

When Spitzer's investigators started going through the documents from Salomon Smith Barney, they discovered that Grubman had been even more unpopular with his firm's retail brokers than Blodget had been at Merrill Lynch.

The New Yorker

There are a few words of his second address, delivered when his country's civil war over the question of slavery was reaching its grim zenith, that are embossed on the wall of his memorial in Washington, just down the road from where the FBI are still going through the documents thrown up by twenty years of Fifa lies.

Independent

Mehr News agency adds: Mehr News Agency (@MehrnewsCom) Praz Rouhanii says #Iran-ians spare no efforts to protect holy shrines in #Iraq June 18 , 20148.11am BST The image of Isis as a bunch of ragtag terrorists is challenged by the group's annual accounts, according to the FT which has been going through the documents.

The Guardian

It seems certain Yanukovych will never live in his luxurious Kiev compound again, but the journalists now going through the documents hope to go one better: to prove beyond any doubt the level of his corruption, and put him on trial.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The process requires  going through the document and manually marking the words or phrases you want to include in the index which can be time-consuming, depending on the length of the file and the number of terms.

The New York Times

Then we conducted a 2 h tutorial, going through the document step by step and answering questions.

Journal of Big Data

"He goes through the documents carefully," Mr. Rubaie said.

The New York Times

You'd effectively have to rely on the word of the agencies and if there was any dispute you'd have to go through the documents yourself, which we did.

The Guardian

This summer, Judge Patti B. Saris ordered Pfizer to go through the documents and release any that did not include information that would put it at a competitive disadvantage.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the level of formality required. While "going through the documents" is generally acceptable, more formal contexts might benefit from alternatives like "examining" or "analyzing" the documents.

Common error

Don't use "going through the documents" without specifying the reason or objective. Instead of saying "I'm going through the documents", clarify with "I'm going through the documents to identify discrepancies" or "I'm going through the documents to extract key data".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "going through the documents" functions as a gerund phrase, acting as a noun. It describes the action of reviewing or examining documents, as illustrated by Ludwig's examples showcasing contexts from news articles to scientific papers.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

18%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "going through the documents" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that describes the action of reviewing or examining documents. According to Ludwig, this phrase is appropriate in a variety of contexts, ranging from news reports to scientific studies. While generally neutral in tone, more formal alternatives like "examining" or "analyzing" may be preferred in specific situations. When using this phrase, it's beneficial to provide context regarding the purpose of the review to enhance clarity. Common errors include vague usage, which can be avoided by specifying the objective of "going through the documents". Consider related phrases like "reviewing the documents" or "analyzing the documents" for subtle shifts in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Reviewing the documents

Replaces the gerund "going through" with the more direct gerund "reviewing", maintaining a similar level of formality.

Examining the documents

Substitutes "going through" with "examining", suggesting a more detailed and careful inspection.

Analyzing the documents

Replaces "going through" with "analyzing", indicating a focus on understanding the content and implications.

Inspecting the documents

Similar to "examining", but implies a more formal or official scrutiny.

Perusing the documents

A more literary or formal alternative, suggesting a casual but thorough reading.

Scrutinizing the documents

Implies a very careful and critical examination, looking for errors or discrepancies.

Checking the documents

A more general term for verifying the accuracy or completeness of the documents.

Reading through the documents

Emphasizes the act of reading, suggesting a comprehensive review.

Working through the documents

Suggests a process of actively engaging with the documents, perhaps to complete a task.

Processing the documents

Implies a systematic handling and review of the documents, often in a business or legal context.

FAQs

How can I use "going through the documents" in a sentence?

You can use "going through the documents" to describe the process of reviewing or examining official documents. For example, "The auditor is currently going through the documents to verify compliance".

What are some alternatives to "going through the documents"?

You can use alternatives like "reviewing the documents", "examining the documents", or "analyzing the documents" depending on the context.

Is "going through the documents" formal or informal?

"Going through the documents" is generally considered neutral in formality. However, in highly formal contexts, alternatives like "examining the documents" or "scrutinizing the documents" might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "going through the documents" and "reading the documents"?

"Going through the documents" implies a purpose beyond simple reading, such as analysis or verification. "Reading the documents", on the other hand, simply refers to the act of reading the content.