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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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do specific

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "do specific" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express the idea of performing a specific action or task, but it lacks clarity and grammatical structure. Example: "Please do specific tasks as assigned in the project guidelines."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Medicare now pays doctors only to do specific medical procedures.

News & Media

The New York Times

You need to do specific user experience (UX) evaluations of your site with an American audience.

News & Media

The Guardian

The machinery for nanorobots to do specific tasks is already under development.

News & Media

The Guardian

Do specific groups (for instance, students) prefer a different candidate than the other groups?

News & Media

The New York Times

"Robots can be programmed to do specific tasks, rather than doing everything".

News & Media

The Guardian

In 1999 we just tried to get fit, didn't do specific stuff.

The system will also explain how to do specific exercises, Mr. Kriger said.

News & Media

The New York Times

Another gap is to find a way to link up lone travellers wanting to do specific activities.

"We don't do specific lectures in anything," she says, "so we can't say what it is we do here.

The answer is partly that flies and worms have lots of genes that do specific things for them.

News & Media

The New York Times

In the main they are hired to do specific jobs for a fixed period of time such as directing, editing and other craft skills.

News & Media

The Guardian
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace "do specific" with stronger verbs like "perform", "execute", or "conduct" to enhance clarity and grammatical correctness. This will improve the overall quality of your writing.

Common error

Don't rely on the vague phrase "do specific". Instead, choose a verb that accurately reflects the action you want to describe, making your writing more precise and professional.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "do specific" functions as a verbal phrase intended to express the performance of particular actions. However, it's grammatically imprecise. As Ludwig AI points out, "do" is often used incorrectly with the adjective "specific".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "do specific" is commonly used but grammatically questionable. According to Ludwig AI, the construction lacks clarity and grammatical structure, as "specific" is an adjective and requires a noun to act upon when used with "do". While frequent in various contexts, including News & Media and Science, it is best to replace it with more precise and grammatically sound alternatives like "perform specific", "carry out specific", or "execute specific" to enhance clarity and professionalism in writing. Using stronger verbs improves the quality and accuracy of your communication.

FAQs

What's grammatically wrong with the phrase "do specific"?

The phrase "do specific" is not grammatically correct because "specific" is an adjective, and "do" requires an object that is a noun. You need to use a verb that can take a direct object, like "perform specific", "execute specific", or "complete specific".

What are some better ways to say "do specific"?

Instead of "do specific", you can use phrases such as "perform specific", "carry out specific", or "undertake specific". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it ever correct to use the phrase "do specific"?

While "do specific" appears frequently, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to use a more precise verb that clarifies the action being performed. For example, instead of saying "do specific exercises", you can say "perform specific exercises".

What's the difference between "do specific" and "perform specific"?

"Do specific" is grammatically imprecise and requires the listener to infer the exact verb you intend to use. "Perform specific" is more grammatically sound, clearly indicating an action is being carried out in a particular manner.

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Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: