Started following

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Started following" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone has begun to follow another person or entity, typically on social media platforms. Example: "I just started following my favorite author on Twitter to keep up with their latest updates."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Follow-up reporting Friday examined who Klein has recently started following on Twitter.

Huffington Post

🙂 Started following it.

Stanford University

But they started following us.

The Guardian - Music

"And then they started following only me".

The New Yorker

Over the years, I've started following Chelsea fully.

The Guardian - Sport

Ranikumari was 12 when she started following the family tradition.

The Guardian

"Everywhere I went, they started following me around," he said.

The New Yorker

I started following the account and re-tweeted it frequently.

The New Yorker

But I knew she'd started following football because of me.

The Guardian - Sport

The retrieval phase (Fig. 1c) started following the distractor task.

Nature

When I was 11, I started following the stock market.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "Started following" in writing, ensure the subject and object of the action are clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For example, "I started following the news closely" clarifies the topic being followed.

Common error

Avoid using "Started following" when the context implies direct physical pursuit or stalking, as this can carry negative connotations. Instead, opt for words like "observed" or "monitored" to convey a more neutral meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Started following" functions as a verb phrase, specifically a past tense verb followed by a gerund. It describes the initiation of an action. Ludwig confirms its proper usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "Started following" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase that indicates the beginning of an action, generally referring to tracking, observing, or subscribing to something. Ludwig AI confirms its wide-ranging applicability, particularly in news, academic, and social media contexts. While versatile, it's important to consider the connotations and choose alternative phrases like "began following" or "commenced following" when precision is crucial.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Began following

Replaces "started" with its direct synonym "began", slightly more formal.

Commenced following

Uses "commenced" for "started", resulting in a more formal tone.

Initiated following

Employs "initiated" to replace "started", suggesting a deliberate beginning.

Took up following

Indicates the act of following as a new activity or interest.

Became a follower of

Shifts the focus to the state of being a follower, rather than the act of starting.

Turned to following

Suggests a change in focus or interest towards following something.

Started to monitor

Replaces "following" with "monitoring", emphasizing observation.

Started to track

Uses "track" instead of "follow", implying a more systematic observation.

Started to observe

Substitutes "following" with "observing", focusing on watching closely.

Subscribed to

Commonly used when referring to following content online, like blogs or social media accounts.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "Started following"?

You can use alternatives like "began following", "commenced following", or "took up following" depending on the context.

Is "Started following" grammatically correct?

Yes, "Started following" is grammatically correct. It is a verb phrase indicating the beginning of an action (following). It's commonly used and easily understood.

How do I use "Started following" in a sentence?

You can use "Started following" to describe the action of beginning to follow someone or something. For example: "I started following her on Twitter" or "He started following the stock market."

What's the difference between "Started following" and "Followed"?

"Started following" indicates the beginning of the action, while "Followed" indicates a completed action without specifying when it began. For example: "I started following the news channel last week", versus "I followed the news channel".