going to retrieve

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "going to retrieve" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating an intention or plan to go and get something. Example: "I am going to retrieve the documents from the office later today."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Design experts love IKEA's products but consider going to retrieve them a necessary evil.

The New Yorker

If your dog gets lost, you can pinpoint its coordinates online before going to retrieve it.

The New York Times - Tech

The officers have said they believed the group was going to retrieve a gun and shoot at another group at the club.

The New York Times

The officers said they believed Mr. Bell and his friends were going to retrieve a gun and shoot at another group at the club.

The New York Times

He was going to retrieve them all at the end of the evening, for eventual planting a necessity, because the dinner series had depleted the global inventory.

The New Yorker

According to Mr. Lonegan, he dropped the men at the house before going to retrieve working papers for them to fill out.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

She went to retrieve some options.

The New York Times

When they go to retrieve them, Lila does "something unexpected".

The Guardian - Books

She did not know where to go to retrieve her husband's personal belongings.

The New York Times

The massage was intermittently interrupted when Jodi went to retrieve more hot rocks.

The New York Times

Guijon, meanwhile, realised he had left his gas mask behind and went to retrieve it.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "going to retrieve" when you want to express a clear intention or plan to get something. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "going to retrieve" interchangeably with the simple future tense ("will retrieve") when you want to emphasize intention or planning rather than just predicting a future action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "going to retrieve" functions as a verb phrase indicating a future action with intention. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts. Examples show it used to express a planned action of getting something back.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "going to retrieve" is a grammatically correct verb phrase used to express the intention to get something back or collect it from a specific place. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability. While common in news and media, it maintains a neutral to slightly informal tone. Alternatives like "planning to fetch" or "intending to collect" can offer similar meanings. When writing, remember that "going to retrieve" is best used when emphasizing the plan to get something, rather than a simple prediction of a future action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

planning to fetch

Focuses on the intent to get something, similar to "going to retrieve" but with a more informal tone.

intending to collect

Emphasizes the intention behind gathering something, closely mirroring the original phrase's meaning.

aiming to recover

Highlights the goal of getting something back, subtly changing the focus from action to objective.

about to fetch

Indicates immediacy and a slight difference in tense compared to "going to retrieve".

preparing to collect

Stresses the preparation aspect of gathering something, adding a nuance of readiness.

will fetch

Uses a simple future tense to convey the action of retrieving, omitting the planning aspect.

set to recover

Indicates a scheduled or determined recovery, shifting the emphasis to a planned event.

getting ready to collect

Focuses on the preparation phase before gathering, adding a layer of anticipation.

organizing to regain

Suggests a structured approach to getting something back, emphasizing the planning process.

arranging to fetch

Implies a prior arrangement or plan for fetching something, adding a detail of organization.

FAQs

How can I use "going to retrieve" in a sentence?

You can use "going to retrieve" to express a future intention to get something. For example, "I am "going to retrieve" my mail from the post office later."

What's a more formal alternative to "going to retrieve"?

A more formal alternative could be "intend to collect" or "plan to recover". These phrases are suitable for professional or academic settings.

Is there a difference between "going to retrieve" and "going to get"?

While both phrases express the intention to obtain something, "going to retrieve" implies a more deliberate action of getting something back or from a specific location, whereas "going to get" is more general.

What can I say instead of "going to retrieve" to sound more immediate?

For a more immediate tone, you could use "about to fetch" or "just about to collect". These phrases suggest the action will happen very soon.