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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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I are about

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I are about" is not correct in written English.
It is a grammatical error as "I" should be paired with "am" instead of "are." Example: "I am about to leave for the meeting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

My children and I are about to go 'off-grid'.

News & Media

The Guardian

Q: My partner and I are about to buy our first home.

I should declare an interest here, since she and I are about to publish a book on the collapse of the Church of England, for which we discussed these very issues.

I just saw someone post this on Facebook: "The family and I are about to go out of town.

News & Media

Huffington Post

Gary Burr, Georgia Middleman and I are about to play our first headlining gig ever as Blue Sky Riders.

News & Media

Huffington Post

In the world we live in -- the world my husband and I are about to bring a child into -- 800 women die every day because of preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.

News & Media

Huffington Post
Show more...

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

28 human-written examples

I was about 18.

I'm about challenging.

News & Media

The New York Times

I was about 6 then.

News & Media

The New York Times

Yet I knew what I was about".

News & Media

The New York Times

I stopped when I was about 30.

News & Media

The New York Times
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "I am about to" instead of "I are about" when expressing an immediate future action. This ensures grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "are" with the first-person singular pronoun "I". The correct form is always "I am".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I are about" functions as an incomplete expression of intention or approximation. Due to subject-verb disagreement, it fails to perform any grammatical function in standard English. Ludwig shows many instances of the fragmented sentence, but these are the result of automatic matching, not grammatically correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Wiki

11%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I are about" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in both formal and informal writing. The correct form is "I am about to" when expressing an immediate future action. As Ludwig AI points out, subject-verb agreement is essential in English grammar, and "I" requires the verb "am", not "are". While many examples matching the search terms appear in Ludwig, they do not represent correct usage but rather matching to the individual words. Ensure to use alternatives like "I'm going to" or "I intend to" for expressing future intentions, and phrases like "I am roughly" or "I am approximately" when indicating an approximation.

FAQs

How should I correctly use a phrase similar to "I are about"?

The correct phrase is "I am about to". For example, instead of saying "I are about to leave", say "I am about to leave".

What's the difference between "I am about to" and "I'm going to"?

"I am about to" implies an immediate action, whereas "I'm going to" indicates a future intention that may not be immediate. Both are grammatically correct, but their usage depends on the context.

Is "I are about" ever correct in English?

No, "I are about" is never grammatically correct in standard English. The correct form is always "I am about to".

What can I say instead of "I are about" to express an approximation?

To express an approximation, use phrases like "I am roughly", "I am approximately", or "I am nearly" followed by the value you are estimating.

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Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: