I will shortly

USAGE SUMMARY

"I will shortly" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to indicate that something will happen or be done in the near future. Example: "I will shortly send you the report you requested." This sentence means that the speaker will send the report soon, probably within a few minutes or hours. Other examples: - "The meeting will begin shortly." - "Our flight will be boarding shortly." - "I will be finishing this project shortly." - "The repairman will arrive shortly to fix the problem."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

I will shortly bring a change in to the law.

The Guardian

"I will shortly be in fund-raising mode," he said.

The New York Times - Magazine

"And I will shortly be looking at scripts," she said.

The New York Times - Style

He added: "I will shortly be bringing forward further proposals that we can take as a country, unilaterally, to strengthen the sovereignty of Britain's great institutions".

The Guardian

And I am, to be honest, pretty certain I'm not going to win any of them: the Julian Rimet, I fear, is a cruel mistress, and I will shortly be found out.

Independent

I've written a lot about damage of self-inflicted fiscal policy wounds in a weak economy, and with the forthcoming budget battles and debt ceiling, I'm sure I will shortly be doing so again.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

I'll shortly be on my way to the ASSA meetings in Chicago.

The New York Times

For the patient I'll shortly be meeting, a man invaded by Clostridium difficile, it's a welcome event.

The Guardian

I'm already working on the campaign for Christmas 2010 and I'll shortly have the shape of the range, how many whole birds and how many crowns we'll need.

The Guardian - Money

It doesn't matter to me if gasoline reaches $5.00 per gallon, which I'm sure it will shortly, movies are in my life to stay.

Huffington Post

They haven't yet diagnosed cancer or General Paralysis of the Insane but I expect they will shortly".

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I will shortly" when you want to convey a sense of immediacy and assurance that an action will be taken in the near future. It's suitable for both formal and semi-formal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "shortly" when a specific timeframe is known or implied. "I will shortly send the email" is appropriate, but "I will shortly send the email at 3 PM" is redundant. Instead, use "I will send the email at 3 PM".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "I will shortly" is to express a future intention or promise. It functions as a declaration of what the speaker intends to do in the near future, as demonstrated in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I will shortly" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to express an intention to perform an action in the near future. Ludwig shows it is seen across a variety of formal and informal contexts but predominantly in News & Media. Although suitable for professional contexts, it's best to avoid it when a specific timeframe is known. Related phrases like "I shall soon" can be used to modulate formality. According to Ludwig, the phrase is well-received and understood in contemporary English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I shall soon

Uses "shall" for a slightly more formal tone and "soon" as a synonym for "shortly".

I'm going to soon

Uses a more casual and conversational structure with "going to" replacing "will".

I plan to do so shortly

Highlights intention and planning regarding a future action.

I will be doing that presently

Uses "presently" as a slightly more formal synonym for "soon".

I anticipate doing so soon

This is more formal and suggests expectation and planning.

I intend to soon

Emphasizes intent but is less common in contemporary usage.

I am about to

Indicates that the action will happen almost immediately.

I'm just about to

Similar to 'I am about to' but slightly more informal.

I am on the verge of

Suggests being very close to doing something.

I will in a bit

An informal way of saying something will be done soon.

FAQs

How can I use "I will shortly" in a sentence?

Use "I will shortly" to indicate that you plan to perform an action in the near future. For example, "I will shortly send you the documents" means you intend to send the documents very soon.

What are some alternatives to "I will shortly"?

You can use alternatives like "I shall soon", "I am going to soon", or "I will be doing that presently", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is "I will shortly" formal or informal?

"I will shortly" is generally considered suitable for both formal and semi-formal contexts. It provides a polite and relatively prompt commitment to future action. The formality depends more on the surrounding language and situation.

What's the difference between "I will shortly" and "I will immediately"?

"I will shortly" implies an action will occur in the near future, but not necessarily instantaneously. "I will immediately" indicates the action will be performed without delay.