doing some shopping

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "doing some shopping" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use the phrase when speaking about a person engaging in the act of purchasing items from a store. For example: "The children had a good time doing some shopping at the mall."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Yet the Europeans are doing some shopping in America.

The Economist

That also tells us that RTL has been doing some shopping: they hold about $100 million of the convertible debt.

The New York Times

"We were doing some shopping near Madison Square earlier today, and the displays were much more risqué," Ms. Elliott said.

The New York Times

What struck me wasn't the oddity of doing some shopping while hauling horses — I've done that myself.

The New York Times

JUBA, Sudan — Joseph Lubega and his wife were strolling through a popular part of town, doing some shopping over the Christmas weekend, when a uniformed police officer approached and slapped his wife across the face, he said.

The New York Times

The parents would then spend a long day at work before collecting the children from a ten-hour stint in day-care, doing some shopping on the way home, feeding everybody, putting the laundry in the washing machine, cleaning up the mess, reading the children a bedtime story and heading for bed themselves, utterly worn out.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

You do some shopping.

The New York Times

I might do some shopping there.

The New York Times

It was time to do some shopping.

The New York Times

Perhaps they will do some shopping.

The Guardian

Commerzbank has even been able to do some shopping.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "doing some shopping" when you want to describe a casual and general act of buying things, often for leisure or without a specific objective. For example, "We are planning on "doing some shopping" this weekend at the new mall."

Common error

Avoid using "doing some shopping" repeatedly in a single piece of writing. Vary your language with synonyms like "purchasing items" or "browsing stores" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "doing some shopping" functions as a verbal phrase describing the activity of purchasing goods. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English, serving to describe a general act of buying items.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "doing some shopping" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe the act of buying things casually. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's perfectly acceptable in written English. Predominantly found in News & Media, it carries a neutral to informal tone. For more formal settings, alternatives like "making purchases" might be more appropriate. While "doing some shopping" is useful, vary your vocabulary to avoid repetition. The phrase is widely understood and easy to integrate into various contexts describing leisure or general purchasing activities.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

out shopping

This alternative is a shorter way of saying someone is currently engaged in shopping.

shopping a bit

This alternative is shorter and more informal.

buying things

This alternative is a simpler and more general way to express the action.

purchasing items

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes the act of buying.

hitting the shops

This alternative is more colloquial and emphasizes the activity of going to multiple stores.

making purchases

Formal alternative emphasizing the financial transaction.

browsing stores

This alternative focuses on looking at goods in stores, not necessarily buying.

shopping spree

Implies a more intense and enthusiastic shopping trip.

retail therapy

Implies shopping with the intent to improve one's mood.

getting groceries

Specifically refers to buying food and household supplies.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "doing some shopping"?

You can use alternatives like "out shopping", "buying things", or "purchasing items" depending on the context.

How to use "doing some shopping" in a sentence?

You can use "doing some shopping" to describe a casual act of buying things. For example, "I'm "doing some shopping" for a new dress for the party."

Is "doing some shopping" formal or informal?

"Doing some shopping" is generally considered informal. In more formal contexts, consider using "making purchases" or "acquiring goods".

What's the difference between "doing some shopping" and "going shopping"?

"Doing some shopping" implies a more casual and less focused activity compared to "going shopping", which suggests a specific trip with the purpose of buying something.