close two years ago

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "close two years ago" is not correct in standard English.
It may be intended to convey that something happened nearly two years ago, but the word "close" is not appropriate in this context. Example: "The store closed two years ago."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

All except Moss have won world titles, and she came close two years ago.

The New York Times - Arts

Most of the time, the fourth nation has barely been near (although Samoa ran England and New Zealand close two years ago).

The Guardian - Sport

There are certain things in life that you want to achieve, and the obvious one is to win a World Cup – we were desperately close two years ago when we reached the semi-finals in New Zealand.

Independent

Already well-known are incidents in the southern Indian state of Kerala, where a Coke plant was forced to close two years ago after it was alleged to have contaminated local water.

The Guardian - Money

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It was its highest close since the end of August 2008.

The New York Times

Haemorrhaging clients, Koyo will close next month.

The Economist

That was its highest close since September 2000.

The New York Times

That deal is expected to close late this year.

The New York Times - Tech

The sale is expected to close this week.

The New York Times

Neither comes close today.

The New York Times

I came close several years ago.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "close" to describe time; instead, use alternatives like "nearly", "almost", or "approximately" to indicate a timeframe in the past. For example, use "almost two years ago" instead of "close two years ago".

Common error

Don't confuse the verb "close" (meaning to shut) with adverbs of approximation. Using "close" to mean "almost" or "nearly" is incorrect. Always use appropriate adverbs or prepositions to indicate time approximation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close two years ago" is an incorrect attempt to express a time frame. Grammatically, the adjective "close" doesn't function properly as a modifier of time. As Ludwig AI indicates, the word "close" is not appropriate in this context.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "close two years ago" is grammatically incorrect and not recommended for use. Ludwig AI suggests that the word "close" is inappropriate in this context. The intended meaning—to indicate an event that occurred approximately two years in the past—can be better conveyed using phrases like "almost two years ago" or "nearly two years ago". The phrase appears rarely, primarily in news and media contexts, but its incorrectness makes it unsuitable for formal or professional writing. Always opt for grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and correctness in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly two years ago

Replaces "close" with "nearly" to indicate an approximate time in the past.

almost two years ago

Replaces "close" with "almost" to indicate an approximation of the time.

approximately two years ago

Uses "approximately" for a more formal way to indicate an estimated time.

around two years ago

Indicates the event happened in the general timeframe of two years prior.

about two years ago

Uses "about" to show the timeframe is an estimate.

two years prior

Replaces "ago" with "prior" to indicate the event happened two years before a specific point in time.

two years back

Replaces "ago" with "back" to give a more informal tone.

a couple of years ago

Uses "a couple" for a less precise estimate of the time.

almost reaching two years ago

The action was near completing two years in the past.

in the vicinity of two years ago

It specifies that it happened in a period of time close to two years in the past

FAQs

What's the correct way to indicate a time approximately two years in the past?

Instead of the incorrect phrase "close two years ago", use phrases like "nearly two years ago", "almost two years ago", or "approximately two years ago".

Is "close two years ago" grammatically correct?

No, "close two years ago" is not grammatically correct. The word "close" does not function correctly as an adverb of approximation in this context. It's better to use "almost" or "nearly" instead.

What can I say instead of "close two years ago" to mean 'around that time'?

You can use alternatives like "about two years ago" or "around two years ago" to indicate a timeframe approximately two years in the past.

How does the meaning change if I use "almost two years ago" instead of "close two years ago"?

Using "almost two years ago" provides a grammatically correct and clear indication that the event happened approximately two years ago. In contrast, "close two years ago" is incorrect and may confuse the reader.