achieving goal

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "achieving goal" is not correct in English as it is missing an article.
You can use it when discussing the process of reaching a specific objective, but it should be "achieving a goal" or "achieving the goal." Example: "The team is focused on achieving a goal that will enhance our productivity."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Yet, a price has been placed on achieving Goal 5.

The Guardian

Hulme's research shows there are obvious conceptual and methodological problems in achieving goal 16: the collection of data is particularly difficult, whether that's using official data or generating other data sets.

The Guardian

Future prediction is that it will play a key role in achieving goal of eliminating morbidity & mortality from cancer by 2015.

Apollo Medicine

Both the use and the design of MCS are crucial for achieving goal congruence, but they are thought to be contingent to specific external situations.

Management Accounting Research

Ultimately, these policies will contribute in achieving Goal 12 of the SDGs (ensure sustainable consumption and production patters) while having an indirect impact on Goal 2 (end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture), and on Goal 13 (take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact).

Journal of Cleaner Production

Progress towards achieving goal 4 (reducing child mortality) and goal 5 (improving maternal health) has been uneven.

British Medical Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

You are achieving goals every single day.

The New York Times - Sports

When there is a change in the magnitude, scope, and speed of organizational process change, we find that the measurability of RC managers' financial performance can change, and we also find that using RA to manage RC boundaries is an important mechanism for achieving goal-congruent behavior and avoiding dysfunctional behavior.

Accounting, Organizations and Society

It's about achieving goals, and revealing truths.

TechCrunch

Setting and achieving goals".

Huffington Post

It's a very useful tool for achieving goals".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always include an article ("a", "an", or "the") before "goal" when using the phrase. For example, use "achieving a goal" or "achieving the goal" for grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "achieving goal" without an article. This omission is a common mistake that makes the phrase grammatically incorrect. Remember to specify whether you are referring to "a goal" in general or "the goal" in particular.

Linguistic Context

The phrase, although grammatically questionable, functions as a gerund phrase acting as a noun modifier, often indicating the process of reaching a specific objective. As indicated by Ludwig, while frequently used, especially in scientific and news contexts, it should correctly be "achieving a goal" or "achieving the goal."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "achieving goal" is commonly used but grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig, it should include an article (a or the) before "goal". Although prevalent in various contexts, including science and news, it's advisable to use "achieving a goal" or "achieving the goal" for accuracy. The phrase functions to describe the process of accomplishing an objective. Common alternatives include "achieving a goal", "reaching a goal" and "goal achievement".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

achieving a goal

Adds the indefinite article "a" for grammatical correctness.

achieving the goal

Adds the definite article "the" specifying a particular goal.

reaching a goal

Replaces "achieving" with "reaching", maintaining the indefinite article.

attaining a goal

Replaces "achieving" with "attaining", maintaining the indefinite article.

accomplishing a goal

Replaces "achieving" with "accomplishing", maintaining the indefinite article.

realizing a goal

Replaces "achieving" with "realizing", maintaining the indefinite article.

fulfilling a goal

Replaces "achieving" with "fulfilling", maintaining the indefinite article.

goal achievement

Changes the phrase to a noun + noun structure, focusing on the outcome.

meeting a goal

Replaces "achieving" with "meeting", maintaining the indefinite article.

completing a goal

Replaces "achieving" with "completing", maintaining the indefinite article.

FAQs

Why is "achieving goal" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "achieving goal" is grammatically incorrect because it omits the article ("a", "an", or "the") before the noun "goal". English grammar typically requires an article before a singular countable noun.

What is the difference between "achieving a goal" and "achieving the goal"?

"Achieving a goal" refers to reaching any unspecified goal, while "achieving the goal" refers to reaching a specific, previously mentioned, or understood goal. The choice depends on whether the goal is general or particular. Consider using "achieving a goal" or "achieving the goal".

What can I say instead of "achieving goal" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives like "goal achievement", "goal attainment" or "realizing a goal". These options often convey a higher degree of formality in professional or academic contexts.

How do I properly use "achieving a goal" in a sentence?

Ensure that the sentence structure is grammatically sound and the article "a" is present. For example, "The team is focused on achieving a goal that will enhance our productivity", or "By working hard, you can succeed in achieving a goal that you have set for yourself".