close a quarter

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "close a quarter" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in a business context to refer to the end of a financial quarter, often in relation to financial reporting or performance evaluation. Example: "We need to finalize our sales figures before we close a quarter to ensure accurate reporting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

It will close a quarter of its German branches and focus on investment banking and asset management in Europe.

The Economist

Gap had to close a quarter of its North American stores last year in order to stay afloat.

The Guardian - Film

Together these policies would close a quarter of the current wage gap (the difference between the 1980 and current wage share) and narrow the dispersion of wages.

The Guardian - Opinion

Five months ago B& Qs rival Homebase blamed the lack of DIY skills in Britain for its decision to close a quarter of its 323 stores over three years.

The Guardian - Business

Homebase will close a quarter of its 323 branches in the next three years, blaming an excess of retail space at out-of-town stores and the rise of a generation with little interest in DIY projects.

The Guardian - Business

Homebase, one of Britain's biggest do-it-yourself chains, has blamed the rise of a generation who can't tell a pozidrive from a rawlplug for its decision to close a quarter of its stores, affecting up to 2,000 jobs.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Soon Smarty Jones would be almost as close, a quarter-mile away in the Belmont Stakes, daylight in front of him on an overcast New York evening.

The New York Times - Sports

Suntech, based in Wuxi, is temporarily closing a quarter of its solar cell capacity.

The New York Times

Homebase is closing a quarter of its 323 branches over the next three years, which could affect up to 2,000 jobs.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

If migration closes a quarter of the migrants' productivity gap with the rich world, their average income would rise by $7,000.

The Economist

Shriners Hospitals for Children is considering closing a quarter of its facilities as donations stagnate, costs increase and the charity's endowment shrivels.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing financial performance, use "close a quarter" to mark the end of a reporting period, ensuring clarity in business communications.

Common error

Avoid using "close a quarter" in contexts where you mean simply 'almost a quarter' or 'near a quarter' as this changes the context from finalizing to approximating.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close a quarter" primarily functions as a verb phrase, indicating the action of concluding or finalizing a financial or reporting period. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this usage is correct and commonly found in business contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

25%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "close a quarter" is a grammatically sound and relatively common phrase, primarily used in business and financial contexts to denote the completion of a financial quarter. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and typical usage. While alternatives like "finish a quarter" or "end a quarter" exist, understanding the specific context is crucial for precise communication. The register is professional, making it suitable for formal reports and business discussions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

finish a quarter

Replaces "close" with "finish", maintaining the meaning of completing a quarterly period.

end a quarter

Substitutes "close" with "end", emphasizing the termination of a quarter.

conclude a quarter

Uses "conclude" instead of "close", suggesting a more formal completion.

wrap up a quarter

Replaces "close" with "wrap up", indicating the finalization of a quarterly period.

finalise a quarter

Uses "finalise" instead of "close", emphasizing the completion of actions for the quarterly period.

complete a quarter

Swaps "close" with "complete", highlighting the full completion of the financial quarter.

almost a quarter

Shifts the focus to approximation rather than closure.

near a quarter

Indicates approaching the end of a quarter, rather than completing it.

close to a quarter

Similar to "almost a quarter", but slightly more precise in its approximation.

nearing a quarter

Focuses on the process of approaching the end of a quarter.

FAQs

What does "close a quarter" mean in a business context?

In a business context, "close a quarter" refers to the end of a financial quarter, typically involving finalizing financial reports and evaluating performance.

What can I say instead of "close a quarter"?

You can use alternatives such as "finish a quarter", "end a quarter", or "wrap up a quarter" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "close a quarter" formal or informal?

"Close a quarter" is generally considered neutral to formal, suitable for business and financial reporting. More informal contexts might use "wrap up a quarter".

How is "close to a quarter" different from "close a quarter"?

"Close to a quarter" implies approximation (nearly 25%), while "close a quarter" refers to the action of finalizing or ending a financial quarter. They are used in different contexts.