before going to work

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before going to work" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate an action or event that occurs prior to starting work or a work-related task. Example: "I like to have a cup of coffee before going to work to help me wake up."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Rick Anaya, chief executive of the council, said every student had signed a job offer specifying what they would do before going to work at the plant.

The New York Times

It's also important to learn of any industry ties that primary investigators have before going to work for them.

Science Magazine

I would smoke joints before going to work and during those breaks – many of my colleagues did the same thing.

Vice

Before going to work in the morning, he would try his hand at writing westerns.

The New York Times - Books

You wrote "The Kite Runner" every morning before going to work as an internist.

The New York Times - Magazine

Back in early July, Ms. Walters, 34, checked her e-mail before going to work.

The New York Times

Mass before going to work, Mr. Doty and his wife, Marie, became impassioned donors to charity.

The New York Times

He briefly taught college in Buffalo before going to work as an editor.

The New York Times - Books

He held a variety of positions with the team before going to work for Williams.

The New York Times - Sports

His wife spent every morning at her husband's bedside before going to work in the afternoon.

The New York Times - Magazine

The night before going to work, it was like diving back into this dark water.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "before going to work" to clearly indicate an action that precedes the start of your workday. This helps establish a timeline of events for your reader.

Common error

Avoid using "before going to work" when you actually mean "during work" or "after work". Ensure the action described truly happens before your work begins.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before going to work" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces a temporal clause, indicating when an action takes place relative to the act of starting work. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a standard and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

4%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "before going to work" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe actions that occur prior to starting one's workday. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is perfectly acceptable in written English. It functions as a prepositional phrase, providing temporal context to events. Usage is prevalent across various sources, including news, media, science and encyclopedias. While more formal alternatives exist, "before going to work" maintains a neutral register suitable for diverse communication contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to commencing work

More formal alternative using "commencing" instead of "going to".

ahead of starting work

Uses "ahead of" to convey the temporal precedence.

prior to the commencement of work

Combines formality and precision in describing the temporal relationship.

before commencing employment

A formal variation emphasizing employment over a specific workday.

earlier than beginning work

Straightforward comparison of time.

in advance of beginning work

More elaborate and formal.

preceding the start of work

Emphasizes the sequence of events with a slightly more technical tone.

previous to starting the workday

Highlights the workday aspect.

in anticipation of working

Focuses on the expectation of work.

just before beginning duties

Highlights the formal idea of starting duties.

FAQs

What activities commonly occur before going to work?

People often engage in activities such as having breakfast, exercising, or checking emails before going to work. These activities prepare them for the day ahead.

What's a more formal way to say "before going to work"?

A more formal alternative to "before going to work" is "prior to commencing work", which is suitable for business or academic contexts.

Is it grammatically correct to say "prior to going to work"?

Yes, "prior to going to work" is grammatically correct. "Prior to" is a more formal substitute for "before". They are interchangeable in most cases.

How can I use "before going to work" in a sentence?

You can use "before going to work" to describe actions taken earlier, like: "I like to meditate "before going to work" to clear my mind".