from scratch to complete

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "from scratch to complete" is not entirely correct in English; it would be better phrased as "from scratch to completion." You can use it when describing a process that starts with nothing and ends with a finished product or result.
Example: "We built the entire software application from scratch to completion in just six months."

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Rolling Stone writer Jonathan Gold described how Dr. Dre produced a beat from scratch to complete instrumental: "Dre may find something he likes from an old drum break, loop it and gradually replace each part with a better tom-tom sound, a kick-drum sound he adores, until the beat bears the same relationship to the original that the Incredible Hulk does to Bill Bixby".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Celera went from concept to building a new plant from scratch to completed genome sequence in just 25 months, despite predictions of the consortium's experts that its DNA sequencing strategy was bound to fail.

The New York Times

Celera went from a concept to building a new plant from scratch to completed genome sequence in just 25 months, despite the predictions of the consortium's experts that its DNA sequencing strategy was bound to fail.

The New York Times

The third item was this rather impressive origami goose, which I chose to see if dealers were willing to deliver something that involved learning a skill from scratch to help a complete stranger.

Vice

Typically, each researcher has to develop independently a complete set of new monolithic application almost built from scratch to create features and then perform various process-planning functionalities.

Computer-Aided Design

Click "Start from scratch" to start the application.

WikiHow

We hypothesize that this was caused by fatigue associated with attempting to complete the entire assignment from scratch late in the semester.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Britain's Royal Engineers have been working tirelessly to build six treatment centres from scratch and will complete final handovers with all NGOs shortly.

Independent

Developers are also converting old commercial buildings into hotels, which are cheaper and quicker to complete than building from scratch.

The New York Times

One of the reasons we've had such a community of creators is because Tumblr is a place where you can build something from scratch with complete control of how you present yourself and how you put your work out there into the world.

BBC

Lishman was allowed to design it from scratch, as opposed to follow preset designs established before he was hired, taking him and assistant Richard Van Heuvelan two months to complete.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a project's development, use "from scratch to complete" to emphasize the comprehensive nature of the work, indicating that every element was created anew.

Common error

Avoid using "from scratch to complete" repeatedly in the same piece of writing; it can become repetitive. Instead, vary your language with synonyms like "from the ground up" or "from beginning to end" to maintain reader interest.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "from scratch to complete" functions as a prepositional phrase, often used adverbially to modify verbs. It describes the manner in which something is created or developed, emphasizing a comprehensive process that begins with nothing and concludes with a finished product. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used in various contexts, reinforcing its descriptive role.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "from scratch to complete" is a common prepositional phrase used to describe a comprehensive process that begins with nothing and ends with a finished product. While Ludwig AI notes that "from scratch to completion" might be considered more grammatically correct, examples demonstrate the widespread usage of "from scratch to complete" in various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. To maintain variety in writing, consider alternatives such as "from start to finish" or "from the ground up".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

From inception to completion

Focuses on the entire lifespan of a project or idea.

From the ground up to finished

Emphasizes the physical building or creation aspect.

From the very beginning to the end

Highlights the temporal aspect of starting and finishing.

From the first step to the final result

Focuses on a process-oriented view.

Start to finish

A shorter, more direct way of expressing the same idea.

Beginning to end

Simple and common way to state the entire duration.

From zero to done

More informal and emphasizes accomplishment.

Cradle to grave

Implies a complete lifecycle, often used in environmental or product contexts.

Alpha to omega

References the beginning and end using Greek alphabet symbols.

Genesis to resolution

Emphasizes a problem-solving or narrative arc.

FAQs

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

You can use "from scratch to complete" to describe a process that starts with nothing and ends with a finished product. For example: "We built the software "from scratch" to "complete" in six months."

What are some alternatives to "from scratch to complete"?

You can use alternatives like "from start to finish" or "from the ground up" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "from scratch to complete" or "from scratch to completion"?

While both are understandable, "from scratch to completion" is generally considered more grammatically correct, as "completion" is a noun that more clearly indicates the end result. However, Ludwig shows that "from scratch to complete" is frequently used.

What does "building something from scratch" mean?

Building something "from scratch" means starting from the very beginning, without relying on pre-existing components or materials. It signifies a comprehensive and original creation process.