almost did it

USAGE SUMMARY

"almost did it" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It can be used to express that someone came close to completing an action, but did not actually follow through with it. Example: John was determined to finish his report before the deadline, but he almost did it. Unfortunately, he got distracted by a phone call and was unable to complete it in time.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

And I almost did it.

The New York Times

Desi almost did it today".

The New York Times - Sports

"We almost did it again tonight.

The New York Times - Sports

"He almost did it by himself".

The New York Times

That almost did it, but a dollop of tangy, creamy yogurt really sealed the deal.

The New York Times - Food

Rugby almost did it: blacks, surprised at themselves, swung behind that Afrikaner secular religion.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

"They almost do it every day.

The New York Times

I'm almost doing it apologetically".

The Guardian

Now, we said, we have almost done it, almost.

The Guardian - Books

Sunday 7 October Fiji almost do it again.

The Guardian - Sport

And I just like the syncopated style of almost doing it line-by-line.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost did it" when you want to convey that an effort was very close to being successful, adding a sense of suspense or near-miss to your narrative.

Common error

Avoid using "almost did it" in the past perfect tense (e.g., "had almost did it"). The correct form is simple past: "almost did it". The past perfect suggests the action was completed before another point in the past, which contradicts the meaning of 'almost'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost did it" primarily functions as a predicate in a sentence, indicating an action that was close to completion but not fully realized. Ludwig AI confirms that it's a grammatically correct construction used to describe near successes.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Sport

23%

Huffington Post

11%

Less common in

Vice

3%

Science

3%

Economist

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "almost did it" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to indicate a near success or a close attempt. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. Predominantly found in news and media, as well as sports reporting, it conveys a sense of suspense and slight disappointment. While versatile enough for neutral and even professional contexts, it's crucial to avoid using it in the past perfect tense to maintain grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly succeeded

Focuses on the outcome of success rather than the attempt.

came close to achieving it

More descriptive, emphasizing the near attainment of a goal.

just about managed it

Highlights the narrow margin by which something was or wasn't accomplished.

virtually accomplished that

Emphasizes that, for all practical purposes, it was as if they had accomplished the task.

narrowly missed achieving it

Emphasizes the failure, albeit by a small margin.

barely failed to accomplish it

Highlights the failure, emphasizing how close the success was.

almost pulled it off

Uses a more colloquial expression, implying a degree of difficulty.

came within inches of success

Emphasizes the closeness to achieving the desired outcome with a more figurative expression.

fell just short of the goal

More formal and emphasizes the unreached target.

was on the verge of succeeding

Highlights the imminence of the success that ultimately didn't occur.

FAQs

What does "almost did it" mean?

The phrase "almost did it" means someone or something came very close to accomplishing a goal or task but ultimately didn't succeed. It implies a near success.

What can I say instead of "almost did it"?

You can use alternatives like "nearly succeeded", "came close to achieving it", or "just about managed it" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "almost did it"?

Yes, "almost did it" is grammatically correct and commonly used in spoken and written English to indicate a near miss or close attempt.

How can I use "almost did it" in a sentence?

You can use "almost did it" to describe a situation where someone or something nearly achieved a specific outcome. For example, "The team almost did it, but they were defeated in the final moments."