had almost touched

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had almost touched" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something was very close to making contact or achieving a certain outcome, but did not quite succeed. Example: "As the car swerved to avoid the pedestrian, it had almost touched the curb before coming to a stop."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Kern's lips tingled where Sandra had almost touched them.

The New Yorker

Gadbois had almost touched the steaming cup to his lips when I found myself saying — my voice abnormally loud — "Don't drink the coffee, Monsieur de Gadbois".

The New Yorker

He sent Ms. Dayananda an e-mail message, and they began discovering all the times and places their lives had almost touched.

The New York Times

In 2008 it had almost touched $140 a barrel and we were told that it was because of rising demand from the emerging economies.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

What are we supposed to do? Bezada, like Fuentes, has had almost every area of her life touched by the flood.

The Guardian

Have them almost touching each other so that your child can make music with ease.

WikiHow

"In the case of the Pentagon, they have been living very fat and very happy for so very long that they've almost lost touch with reality," said Gordon Adams, who oversaw national-security budgets under President Clinton.

The New York Times

It's the point where the otherwise diverging fields of finance and the real world intersect - and an area where theory and practice have grown so far apart they have almost lost touch with each other.

The Guardian - Business

And since the genre's rise, its shows have almost always at least touched on a prevalent struggle amongst adolescents: sexuality.

Vice

If one of the jury members in the first row had stood up and reached across the jury box they would have almost been able to touch the outstretched arm of one of the defence team.

The Guardian

It has almost taken on an evangelical aspect, touching on religion as well as politics.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had almost touched" to create a sense of anticipation or near-miss, emphasizing the potential for contact or a particular outcome without it fully occurring. This can add tension or nuance to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "had almost touched" when you intend to convey that actual contact occurred. The phrase specifically implies that the action stopped just before touching, not during or after.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had almost touched" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect tense. It describes an action that nearly occurred but stopped just before completion. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which validates its correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "had almost touched" is a grammatically sound verb phrase used to describe a situation where contact was narrowly avoided. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness. While relatively rare, with usage examples spread across News & Media, Wiki, and Academia, its primary function is to convey near misses or potential actions. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with the intended meaning of almost making contact but ultimately not touching. Alternatives such as "nearly touched" or "came close to touching" can be used to express similar ideas.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly touched

Emphasizes the closeness of the contact without it actually happening.

came close to touching

Highlights the nearness of the action, focusing on the approach.

was on the verge of touching

Implies that the action was about to occur but ultimately did not.

almost made contact with

Directly refers to the potential for contact, emphasizing the lack thereof.

grazed

Suggests a very light or brief touch, close to not happening at all.

skirted

Indicates passing very closely by, without direct contact.

brushed against

Implies a light, incidental contact that was nearly avoided.

barely missed touching

Stresses that the touch was narrowly avoided.

came within inches of touching

Specifies the small distance that prevented contact.

was within a hair's breadth of touching

Uses a figurative expression to convey the extremely close proximity.

FAQs

How can I use "had almost touched" in a sentence?

Use "had almost touched" to describe a situation where two things nearly came into contact, but didn't. For example, "The car "had almost touched" the curb before the driver corrected the steering".

What are some alternatives to "had almost touched"?

You can use alternatives such as "nearly touched", "came close to touching", or "was on the verge of touching" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "had almost touched" or should it be "almost had touched"?

"Had almost touched" is the standard and grammatically correct word order. "Almost had touched" is less common and may sound awkward to some native English speakers.

What's the difference between "had almost touched" and "had touched"?

"Had touched" indicates that contact definitely occurred. "Had almost touched" means that contact was very close to happening but did not actually happen. It implies a near miss or close proximity without actual contact.