from scratch to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "from scratch to" is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase is typically used to describe the process of starting something from its very beginning and continuing to the end. For example, "The path to success starts with a dream and takes you from scratch to success."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Coston basically had to start from scratch to determine how to make the signal lights.

The New York Times

By meeting a useful man in 1941, he learned from scratch to fly four-engine aircraft.

The Economist

We have to study from scratch, to rehearse anew each time.

The Guardian - Music

(Islamabad, the capital, was built from scratch to house the government).

The New York Times

We have been developing a programming language from scratch to simplify verification, called Whiley, and an accompanying verifying compiler.

Science of Computer Programming

In 2004, Petraeus boasted of U.S. progress in recreating the Iraqi Army from scratch to confront extremists.

The New Yorker

Parker tried to start from scratch — to go back "not quite to the hollow-log era, but almost".

The New Yorker

South Korea's Songdo business district was created from scratch to have intelligence built into all its infrastructure.

The Guardian

It would be much more expensive to rebuild capacity from scratch to meet increased demand in future".

The Guardian

After Facebook deleted the event page on Tuesday, activists swiftly recreated a new one from scratch to promote the counterprotest.

The New York Times - Tech

It asks, What if we could redesign keyboards from scratch to better fit how we use mobile devices now?

MIT Technology Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "from scratch to" to emphasize a complete creation or development process, particularly when highlighting the effort and resources involved.

Common error

Avoid using "from scratch to" when the starting point isn't truly a blank slate. If existing resources or frameworks are utilized, a different phrase might be more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "from scratch to" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating the starting point and trajectory of a process. It emphasizes creation or development ab initio, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

36%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

3%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "from scratch to" is a common and grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to emphasize a complete creation or development process. It signifies starting from an initial state and progressing to a final goal. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase functions to highlight the entire development cycle, emphasizing the effort and resources involved. With a neutral register, it fits in various contexts, and its prevalence across authoritative sources like The New York Times, The Guardian, and Forbes underlines its reliability and versatility. Related phrases such as "from zero to" and "from the ground up to" offer alternative ways to express the same core concept.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

from zero to

Replaces "scratch" with "zero", emphasizing the absolute beginning.

from the ground up to

Uses a more descriptive idiom for "scratch", highlighting the foundation.

from nothing to

Focuses on the absence of prior resources or development.

from inception to

Emphasizes the initial creation or beginning of something.

from the start to

Highlights the temporal aspect of beginning at the earliest point.

from foundation to

Similar to "from the ground up", but emphasizes building on a base.

from basic to

Focuses on starting with the most fundamental elements.

beginning with to

Uses a more direct construction to express the start of a process.

developing to

Highlights the growth aspect from an initial state.

creating to

Centers on the act of bringing something into existence.

FAQs

How can I use "from scratch to" in a sentence?

The phrase "from scratch to" is used to describe building something from its initial state all the way to completion. For instance, "She built her business "from scratch to" a multi-million dollar company."

What are some alternatives to "from scratch to"?

You can use alternatives like "from zero to", "from the ground up to", or "from nothing to", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "built from scratch to"?

Yes, "built from scratch to" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to indicate a process of creating something from its very beginning to a specific end result.

What does it mean to create something "from scratch to"?

Creating something "from scratch to" signifies starting with absolutely nothing and developing it through each stage until the final product is achieved. It emphasizes the comprehensive effort involved.