expecting to

USAGE SUMMARY

"expecting to" is correct and usable in written English.
It is often used to refer to an expectation of something that is about to happen in the near future. For example: "We are expecting to hear back from the interviewer soon."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We're expecting to win".

The New York Times - Sports

Expecting to go to….

The New Yorker

Della was expecting to die any moment.

The New Yorker

Someone they weren't expecting to left".

The New Yorker

We were expecting to live together.

Independent

I wasn't expecting to meet anybody".

The New York Times

No pretense of expecting to get in.

The New Yorker

"I wasn't expecting to be here.

The New York Times - Sports

Others, however, are expecting to do better.

Independent

We're expecting to play pretty well".

Independent

I wasn't expecting to get hurt.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "expecting to" when you have a reasonable basis for anticipating a particular outcome or event. For example, "I am expecting to receive the package tomorrow" implies you have tracking information or confirmation of shipment.

Common error

While "expecting to" is generally acceptable, overuse in formal or academic writing can sound less precise. Consider stronger verbs like "anticipate", "predict", or "project" to convey a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "expecting to" is to express anticipation or a future intention. It functions as part of a verb phrase, indicating what someone anticipates will happen or what they plan to do, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "expecting to" is a versatile phrase used to express anticipation or future intention. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and commonly used in English writing. Its prevalence is particularly noticeable in "News & Media" contexts. When using "expecting to", remember to maintain a neutral register and consider stronger alternatives like "anticipate" or "intend" in formal settings. By considering these nuances, you can effectively integrate "expecting to" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

anticipating

Focuses on looking forward to something with excitement or eagerness. It's more about the emotional anticipation.

intending to

Emphasizes a firm decision or purpose to do something. It implies a stronger commitment than "expecting to".

planning on

Highlights the intentionality and preparation for a future event or action. More focused on concrete actions.

foreseeing

Suggests a prediction or anticipation based on insight or knowledge. More predictive than a simple expectation.

assuming that

Implies a belief or supposition that something is likely to happen. It carries a sense of probability.

believing that

Highlights a conviction about a future event based on personal belief. More subjective than a general expectation.

forecasting to

Implies making a prediction about a future event based on data or expert knowledge. More specific to formal contexts.

waiting to

Suggests a passive state of readiness, anticipating an opportunity or signal to act. It's more about readiness than expectation.

in line to

Highlights the readiness to do something, with a degree of formal process involved. It is less about pure expectation.

with anticipation

Focuses on the feeling of excitement or eagerness that accompanies looking forward to something. Highlights emotions.

FAQs

How to use "expecting to" in a sentence?

"Expecting to" is used to express anticipation or anticipation of something that will happen in the future. For example, "I am expecting to hear from them soon", or "They are expecting to win the game".

What can I say instead of "expecting to"?

You can use alternatives like "anticipating", "planning on", or "intending to" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "expecting to" or "expecting that"?

"Expecting to" is typically followed by a verb in the infinitive form, while "expecting that" is followed by a clause. Both are correct, but they have different grammatical structures. For example, "I'm expecting to go to the party" versus "I'm expecting that they will arrive soon".

What's the difference between "expecting to" and "hoping to"?

"Expecting to" implies a higher degree of certainty or anticipation based on some evidence or reason, while "hoping to" indicates a desire or wish for something to happen without necessarily having a strong basis for believing it will.