become professionally

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "become professionally" is not correct in English as it lacks a necessary complement to clarify what one is becoming professionally.
You can use it in contexts where you want to express a transition into a professional role, but it needs to be followed by a specific profession or field. Example: "I hope to become professionally recognized in my field of expertise."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science & Research

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

We are in fact doctors and professionals, yet we are in the only profession that, even after we become professionally qualified, continues to recognise us as, well, students.

Science Magazine

He was a natural candidate to become professionally unnoticeable.

The New Yorker

"Difficult as this place can be, everything I have become professionally was because of him".

The New York Times - Sports

Technical changes in the "tools" for this work have led these artists to become professionally involved in management and advertising.

Sociologie du Travail

That's why being bad to bots will become professionally and socially taboo in tomorrow's workplace.

Harvard Business Review

We used our already tested peer advisor model, which trains ex-offenders to become professionally qualified, highly credible paid caseworkers.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

In the mean time, we will say more as and when it becomes professionally possible to do so".

The New York Times

Like most rock writers, Reynolds tends to idealise and exalt the period immediately before he became professionally involved: in other words, when he was still a fan.

The Guardian - Books

For scientists working there, it became professionally expedient to side with the Department of Energy and to denounce Lee, a former colleague and neighbor.

The New York Times - Books

The cause was cancer, said a spokeswoman for the company, Festival Productions, which was founded by her husband, George Wein Mrs. Wein was a biochemist but became professionally involved in music through her marriage in 1959 to Mr. Wein, the founder of the Newport festivals and the chief executive of Festival Productions.

The New York Times

Because I was still afraid of him, I even kept away from social media until it became professionally unacceptable to do so.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "become professionally" without specifying what one is becoming. Instead, use "become a professional [in a specific field]" or other alternatives like "grow professionally".

Common error

The phrase "become professionally" is often used without a clear indication of what the subject is becoming. This lack of completion creates ambiguity and grammatical incorrectness. Always specify the desired professional outcome or use a more complete phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "become professionally" functions as a verb phrase where "become" is the main verb and "professionally" is an adverb modifying it. However, as noted by Ludwig, it often requires a complement to complete its meaning, specifying what one is becoming.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Science

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "become professionally" is often used to describe career progression or development, but Ludwig AI highlights its grammatical incompleteness. The phrase needs to be followed by an adjective, a participle, or further specification to clarify what one is becoming professionally (e.g., "become professionally certified"). While common in news, science, and academic contexts, it's essential to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity by specifying the desired professional outcome. Consider alternatives like ""become a professional"", ""grow professionally"", or other related phrases to improve clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

become a professional

A more grammatically correct and direct way to express entering a profession.

grow professionally

Focuses on the aspect of development and improvement in one's career.

develop professionally

Similar to 'grow professionally', but emphasizes a more structured and planned approach to career advancement.

advance professionally

Highlights the aspect of moving forward and progressing in a career.

excel professionally

Emphasizes achieving a high level of competence and success in one's profession.

evolve professionally

Suggests a gradual transformation and adaptation within a professional role.

transform into a professional

Emphasizes a complete change into a professional status.

transition to a professional career

Highlights the change from one stage (e.g. student) to a professional career.

establish oneself professionally

Focuses on building a strong reputation and presence in a professional field.

achieve professional status

Highlights the attainment of a recognized level of expertise and credibility.

FAQs

What's wrong with saying "become professionally"?

The phrase "become professionally" is grammatically incomplete. It requires a complement to specify what someone is becoming. For example, you might say "become professionally certified" or "become a professional writer".

What can I say instead of "become professionally"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "become a professional", "grow professionally", or "develop professionally".

How can I use "become a professional" in a sentence?

You can use "become a professional" in sentences like: "After completing her degree, she aimed to "become a professional" software engineer." or "He worked hard to "become a professional" chef."

Is it ever correct to use "become professionally"?

While less common, "become professionally" can be acceptable if it's followed by an adjective or participle that describes the state of being, such as "become professionally certified" or "become professionally involved". However, ensure the phrase is clear and grammatically complete.