almost be ready

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost be ready" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a mix-up of "almost ready" or "will almost be ready," which can be used to indicate that something is nearing completion. Example: "The report will almost be ready by the end of the day."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

With lighting this beautiful, one might almost be ready to eat badly.

The New Yorker

The field of candidates fighting for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination is mostly settled — if it were made out of Jell-O, we would almost be ready to take it out of the fridge.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Should Brooks Brothers Cellar members be more demanding, Geerlings & Wade will almost certainly be ready to oblige them.

The New York Times - Food

We have switched that around and I am genuinely convinced almost everyone is ready for it today".

BBC

[Scripted] television almost wasn’t ready for that yet.

Forbes

"I almost wasn't ready for the show when it began.

Los Angeles Times

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Vice

When spring training dawned, Martin was ready — almost.

The New York Times - Sports

Mint was ready – well, almost ready – to launch.

TechCrunch

He'd say, 'The engine is almost ready, it's almost ready.' " Mr. Santiago had no family; he had stopped going to sea after losing a leg.

The New York Times - Arts

Similar agreements with Saudi Arabia and Yemen are said to be almost ready to be signed.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer the phrases "almost ready", "nearly ready", or "close to being ready" for clearer and more grammatically sound communication.

Common error

Avoid using "almost be ready" as it's not considered standard English. Instead, ensure your sentence construction accurately reflects the intended meaning of near completion using established phrases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost be ready" functions as a descriptor indicating a state approaching readiness. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it is not considered standard English. Examples show that similar phrases are used to convey that something is in the final stages of preparation or completion.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "almost be ready" attempts to convey that something is nearing completion, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English, as Ludwig AI indicates. Better alternatives include using "almost ready", "nearly ready", or "close to being ready". These alternatives provide clearer and more grammatically sound ways to express the intended meaning. The phrase is rare, but when it appears, it’s often in News & Media contexts. For formal writing, always opt for the grammatically correct alternatives to ensure clarity and professionalism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly be ready

Replaces "almost" with "nearly", maintaining the meaning of close to readiness.

close to being ready

Emphasizes proximity to readiness using a more descriptive phrase.

about to be ready

Indicates an imminent state of readiness.

on the verge of being ready

Suggests that the state of readiness is very near.

almost at the point of readiness

More explicitly states the nearness to being ready.

practically ready

Indicates a high degree of readiness.

virtually ready

Suggests a state that is very close to readiness but not quite there.

just about ready

Informal way of saying almost ready.

nearing completion

Focuses on the process of approaching readiness.

approaching readiness

Highlights the ongoing process towards being ready.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically correct way to say "almost be ready"?

The phrase "almost be ready" is not standard English. Instead, you can say "almost ready", "nearly ready", or "close to being ready".

Is "almost be ready" considered acceptable in formal writing?

No, "almost be ready" is not typically considered acceptable in formal writing. Use phrases like "nearly ready" or "close to being ready" for formal contexts.

How can I use "almost ready" in a sentence?

You can use "almost ready" to indicate something is nearing completion. For example, "The report is almost ready for review."

What's the difference between "almost ready" and "will almost be ready"?

"Almost ready" describes a current state of near completion, while "will almost be ready" indicates a future state of near completion. For example, "The dinner is almost ready" versus "The dinner will almost be ready in 10 minutes".