before going home

USAGE SUMMARY

'before going home' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an action or activity that happened before someone left a place. For example: "We grabbed a quick bite to eat before going home."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

They open the season Sunday in St . Louis then travel to Atlanta before going home to face the Giants.

The New York Times - Sports

He spent Saturday night in a hospital before going home.

The New York Times - Sports

Even Mrs Wahidi carefully removes her make-up before going home.

The Economist

But in November 2007, Senate Democrats did not formally recess before going home for Thanksgiving.

The New York Times

Mr Khan will work a normal 9-5 before going home to his wife.

Independent

Like The Rock, I follow this with a few hundred crunches before going home.

The Guardian - Film

Before going home to Shelby that day, he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and hated his face.

The New Yorker

Price's, a small rustic place was always open, and everybody would end up there before going home.

The New Yorker

Some players headed to a nearby bakery for pepperoni rolls before going home, praying and going to sleep.

The New York Times - Sports

He told neighbors that he had quit his job, and now takes his uniform off before going home.

The New York Times

Then, practically every night, before going home to bed, she makes a Samaritan tour of the Bowery and its environs.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "before going home" to clearly indicate actions or events that occur in a location prior to someone's departure to their residence. This helps establish a chronological sequence of events in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "before going home" when the intended meaning is actually describing actions done at home. Ensure the context clearly establishes that the actions precede the departure from another location.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before going home" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase of time, indicating when an action occurs in relation to the act of returning to one's residence. Ludwig's examples clearly demonstrate this function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "before going home" is a versatile and grammatically sound expression used to indicate the timing of an action in relation to someone's return to their residence. As noted by Ludwig, it's commonly found in news, media, and scientific contexts, serving as a clear temporal marker. When using this phrase, ensure the context is clear and that the action described genuinely precedes the act of returning home to avoid confusion. While there are several alternatives, such as "prior to heading back", the original phrase is widely accepted and easily understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to heading back

Emphasizes the act of returning, using 'prior to' for a more formal tone.

ahead of returning

Highlights the anticipation of returning, using 'ahead of' to denote the time before.

before the return trip

Focuses on the journey back, specifying it's before the 'return trip'.

before the journey back

Highlights the trip itself, similar to 'before the return trip' but emphasizes the whole 'journey'.

preceding the departure

Highlights the action before leaving a place, more formal.

before leaving to go back

More explicit about the destination, specifying 'to go back'.

in advance of leaving

Emphasizes making preparations or actions before the act of leaving.

prior to the homeward journey

Uses more literary language, referencing 'homeward journey' for a sense of destination.

before returning to residence

More formal, replacing 'home' with 'residence' for a sophisticated tone.

before proceeding back home

Suggests a more deliberate and planned return, using 'proceeding' to imply intention.

FAQs

How can I use "before going home" in a sentence?

You can use "before going home" to describe an action that takes place prior to someone's departure. For example, "I like to grab a coffee "before going home" after work".

What are some alternatives to "before going home"?

Some alternatives include "prior to heading back", "ahead of returning", or "before the return trip", depending on the context.

Is it ever incorrect to use "before going home"?

It could be misleading if the sentence structure doesn't clearly indicate that the action happens at a different location and precedes the act of returning. Ensure the context is clear.

What is the difference between "before going home" and "after arriving home"?

"Before going home" describes actions leading up to the departure, while "after arriving home" describes actions that occur once someone has reached their residence. They represent opposite ends of a journey.