almost picked up

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost picked up" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone nearly took or acquired something but did not complete the action. Example: "I almost picked up the book from the shelf, but then I remembered I already had too many to carry."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"The initial shot itself would have been a very comfortable save for Boaz, it almost picked up momentum with the deflection".

The Guardian - Sport

This morning, I almost picked up a pretty yellow leaf from the ground, to press in my hymnal, but then I thought, I have so many leaves, and I returned it to the tall grass.

The New Yorker

I almost picked up the phone and shouted at them because of this stupid creation made me sound so rude to one important customer when I made a mistake to click this stupid button".

The Guardian - Tech

A week later — it was the next Friday, actually — I went into a place down in the marina for cocktails with a woman I'd almost picked up after I left Jimmy at the steak house the previous Saturday.

The New Yorker

It famously almost picked up SoundCloud.

TechCrunch

One highlight was an informative and humorous Friday morning conversation with The Orb's Alex Patterson at the Armory, where Lanois candidly discussed everything from his beginnings in music (he almost picked up the banjo) to meeting collaborator and ambient pioneer Brian Eno for the first time: "It felt like a blazing light came upon me".

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Harris goes for one boundary in the over, and almost picks up another wicket.

The Guardian - Sport

Meanwhile, Broad almost picks up a consolation wicket when Watling slices one high towards third man, but it just plops safely in front of two converging fielders.

The Guardian - Sport

In many patient encounters, Colleen and her patients' faces visibly lit up when they saw each other, like old friends seeing one another, and they would almost pick up on an ongoing conversation as if it had been interrupted only a few minutes ago.

BMC Health Services Research

Picked up almost at once by Swiss intelligence, he spends the rest of the war in prison.

The Guardian - Books

Almost all objects can be picked up.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context. If you need more emphasis on the selection you can say "nearly selected", while if there was quick action involved you may say "almost grabbed".

Common error

Avoid using "almost picked up" when the action was actually completed. If the item was indeed picked up, use "picked up" instead. "Almost picked up" indicates an intention or near completion, not the final result.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost picked up" functions as a verb phrase indicating an action that was close to being performed but ultimately wasn't. Ludwig confirms that this structure is correct and usable. It often modifies a noun or pronoun, describing what the subject nearly did.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "almost picked up" is a versatile verb phrase used to describe actions that nearly occurred. As Ludwig confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used. Its communicative purpose is to indicate an intention or near-miss, which is reflected across various contexts, including news and media, scientific literature, and general writing. When writing, ensure that you use "almost picked up" to accurately convey that an action was not completed and to avoid confusing it with the completed action of "picked up".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly selected

Emphasizes the selection aspect, suggesting a choice was close to being made.

almost grabbed

Suggests a quick or impulsive action that was narrowly avoided.

came close to choosing

Highlights the decision-making process that nearly resulted in a choice.

considered acquiring

Focuses on the potential ownership or possession of something.

was on the verge of taking

Indicates an imminent action that was ultimately not carried out.

narrowly avoided selecting

Focuses on how close the selection came to happening.

came within inches of grabbing

Emphasis on the small amount of distance to grabbing.

thought about choosing

Focuses more on thinking and contemplation with less action involved.

briefly entertained the idea of picking

Underlines that the picking consideration had a short duration.

was close to snatching

Suggests a quick or secretive action that did not transpire.

FAQs

How can I use "almost picked up" in a sentence?

You can use "almost picked up" to describe an action that nearly happened but didn't. For example, "I "almost picked up" the phone to call him, but then I changed my mind."

What's a similar phrase to "almost picked up"?

Alternatives to "almost picked up" include "nearly selected", "almost grabbed", or "came close to choosing", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "almost pick up" instead of "almost picked up"?

The correct tense depends on the context. "Almost pick up" (present) describes a habitual or future action, while "almost picked up" (past) describes a specific action that nearly occurred in the past. For example: "I "almost pick up" coffee every morning" versus "I "almost picked up" coffee this morning."

What's the difference between "almost picked up" and "picked up"?

"Picked up" means the action was completed; the item was taken or acquired. "Almost picked up" means the action was not completed; the item was nearly taken, but the action was stopped before completion.