close to doing something

USAGE SUMMARY

"close to doing something" is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English.
As an example, you could use it in a sentence like this: "He was close to finishing the project when he ran out of time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Elon Musk came close to doing something truly unique.

Columbia University

We are so close to doing something big and smart.

The New York Times

He has already come close to doing something, Minaya said, and is confident that he will complete a deal before the end of spring training.

The New York Times - Sports

Further, with the Bush administration now estimating that the surplus for this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, could fall as low as $160 billion, the administration and Congress are coming dangerously close to doing something they have promised not to -- dipping into the Social Security surplus to pay for tax cuts or government spending.

The New York Times

Well, it turns out Airbnb was close to doing something very similar.

TechCrunch

At the very least, Google does appear to be close to doing something with the drive.google.com domain.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

The Cisco Systems chief executive, John Chambers, yesterday appeared to be inching closer to doing something he is not known for doing: announcing quarterly results that lag forecasts made by his company and analysts.

The New York Times

"As Bob Mueller's getting his job done and as he's getting closer to doing something that's real and filing charges, political allies of the president are calling for his resignation".

Huffington Post

If your own children wanted to go into show business, what would you tell them? A. I wouldn't stop them, but I'd tell them show business is the closest you can come to doing something illegal and still be legal.

Huffington Post

That's as close as I can get to doing something for her.

Vice

"We're committing to doing something as close to a privately financed ballpark as possible," he says.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "close to doing something" to convey anticipation or near completion of an action, but ensure the context makes it clear whether the action was ultimately carried out.

Common error

Avoid assuming that because someone is "close to doing something" they will definitely do it. The phrase implies possibility, not certainty.

Linguistic Context

Expressing Proximity to Action: The phrase "close to doing something" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, indicating the degree to which an action is near completion or implementation. Ludwig confirms its acceptable use in English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Academia

22%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Science

11%

Formal & Business

12%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "close to doing something" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase indicating that an action is near completion or about to occur. Ludwig confirms its validity and offers numerous real-world examples. Its neutral register makes it suitable for various contexts, including news, academic writing, and general conversation. While versatile, remember to clarify if the action was ultimately completed to avoid ambiguity. Using related phrases like "on the verge of doing something" can add nuance to your writing, while avoiding common errors like assuming definite action will improve clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on the verge of doing something

Emphasizes the imminence of the action.

about to do something

Highlights the anticipation of the action happening very soon.

on the brink of doing something

Suggests a critical point just before the action.

nearing the point of doing something

Indicates progression towards the action.

on the cusp of doing something

Implies being right at the edge of initiating the action.

approaching the act of doing something

Suggests a gradual movement toward the action.

drawing near to doing something

Presents the action as becoming closer and more probable.

almost at the stage of doing something

Indicates that only a small step remains before the action is taken.

in the process of almost doing something

Focuses on the near completion of the action in progress.

coming close to achieving something

Highlights the success aspect of the action.

FAQs

How can I use "close to doing something" in a sentence?

You can use "close to doing something" to express that someone is on the verge of taking an action. For example, "The company was "close to doing something" innovative with their new product line".

What's a more formal alternative to "close to doing something"?

A more formal alternative would be "on the verge of doing something" or "about to undertake something". These phrases convey a similar meaning with a slightly more elevated tone.

Is it correct to say "close to done something" instead of "close to doing something"?

No, "close to done something" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""close to doing something"", which uses the gerund form of the verb.

What does "on the brink of doing something" mean, and how is it different from "close to doing something"?

"On the brink of doing something" suggests that a critical moment or decision is imminent, often carrying a sense of risk or consequence. While ""close to doing something"" simply means near to taking an action, without necessarily implying the same level of urgency or potential impact.