before starting to watch

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before starting to watch" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating a preliminary action that should occur prior to watching something, such as a movie or a video. Example: "Before starting to watch the documentary, make sure you have a notepad ready for taking notes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

A zapping block denotes the number of consecutively demanded TV channels before starting to watch an interesting program.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

People were starting to watch.

The New York Times - Travel

"You only have to hit your head a few times before you start to watch out," Shaw told me.

The New Yorker

The Old Bailey heard that Choudhry, who told police she wanted to kill Mr Timms as "punishment" for his support of the invasion of Iraq, had been a moderate Muslim student looking forward to a career in teaching before she started to watch Awlaki's sermons online.

The Telegraph

I started to watch.

The New Yorker

I started to watch people.

The New York Times - Arts

It seems extraordinary that he did not sketch out his design before starting to paint, but the individuals who watched him working at one time or another and the evidence of his sketchbooks agree that this was not the case.

The Guardian - Books

Brainstorm before starting to write.

WikiHow

Stretch before starting to play.

WikiHow

Wednesday, well before the usual starting time, to watch the historic event on state television.

The New York Times

From the minute I put the word out that I would be doing it, everyone I spoke to or heard from expressed interest in seeing it, and there was an immediate feeling of community starting to happen before anyone had even watched the series.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing instructions, use "before starting to watch" for a friendly, accessible tone that doesn't sound overly formal or technical.

Common error

Avoid using the past tense (e.g., "before started to watch") when giving instructions or general advice; stick to the present participle ("before starting to watch").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before starting to watch" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a time relationship. It specifies that an action or consideration should occur prior to engaging in the act of watching something. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Wiki

33%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "before starting to watch" is a grammatically sound and commonly used prepositional phrase that indicates a preliminary action before viewing something. Ludwig AI validates its appropriate usage. While suitable for various contexts, including news and general communication, more formal alternatives like "prior to viewing" may be preferred in professional or academic settings. The key is to ensure clarity in conveying the sequence of events, making it clear what should be done before the viewing begins. Remember to avoid tense errors and choose alternatives depending on the formality required for your document.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

before you watch

Simplifies the phrase by removing "starting to."

before viewing

Simplifies the original phrase by omitting "starting to".

prior to watching

More formal alternative using "prior to" instead of "before".

prior to viewing

Formal alternative using "viewing" instead of "watching" and "prior to" instead of "before starting".

before beginning to view

Uses "beginning" instead of "starting", slightly more formal.

before commencing to watch

Replaces "starting" with "commencing", increasing formality.

ahead of watching

More concise, using "ahead of" to indicate the preliminary action.

in anticipation of watching

Expresses a sense of expectation or excitement before watching.

preparatory to watching

A more formal and less common construction.

first, watch

Very informal, suggests a sequence of actions.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "before starting to watch" for a formal context?

In formal writing, consider using alternatives such as "prior to watching", "before viewing", or "ahead of watching" for a more sophisticated tone. For example, instead of saying "Before starting to watch the presentation, please review the handout", you could say "Prior to viewing the presentation, please review the handout".

Is it grammatically correct to say "before starting to watch"?

Yes, "before starting to watch" is grammatically correct. It uses a present participle after the preposition "before" to describe an action preceding another.

What is a simpler way to say "before starting to watch"?

You can simplify the phrase to "before you watch" or "prior to watching" depending on the level of formality required.

What's the difference between "before starting to watch" and "after watching"?

"Before starting to watch" indicates an action that happens before viewing something, while "after watching" indicates an action that happens following the viewing experience. They are opposites in terms of timing.