in the midst of doing

USAGE SUMMARY

"in the midst of doing" is a correct and usable expression in written English.
It is used to describe the state of being in the process of performing a certain action. For example, "I was in the midst of doing my math homework when I got the phone call."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

I am in the midst of doing my work".

The New Yorker

In the midst of doing it, people got pretty pissed off".

The Guardian

I think a lot of artists are like that when they're in the midst of doing something".

The Guardian - Arts

"He felt the thrill of being back in the midst of doing what he had been doing for many years," she said.

The New York Times

"Any place you see bare wood, it's only because we're in the midst of doing a lot of research," she said.

The New Yorker

Mr. Lesniak said that Mr. Weiner has agreed to sell his share in the real estate partnership and is in the midst of doing so.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

And all of this was in the midst of us doing the film festival.

Huffington Post

But in the midst of that doing, let us not ignore the enormity of what has happened around and within us.

Huffington Post

Over time perhaps you can develop better systems but in the midst of chaos, do what can be done first.

WikiHow

In the midst of this, do you still have time for your Twitter account?

The New York Times

Sometimes (aka today) I will be in the midst of saying "Did you listen to that Wugazi…" and then just turn around and walk away.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "in the midst of doing", ensure the context clearly indicates that the action is currently ongoing and may be interrupted or surrounded by other events. This phrasing is effective for conveying a sense of activity and immediacy.

Common error

Avoid overusing "in the midst of doing" in formal documents where more concise alternatives like "currently performing" or "engaged in" may be more appropriate. Choose wording that matches the tone and style of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in the midst of doing" functions as a prepositional phrase acting as an adverbial modifier. It describes when an action is taking place, emphasizing that it is currently underway. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Academia

26%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Science

4%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "in the midst of doing" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It is used to indicate that an action is currently in progress, often implying a state of activity or potential interruption. While versatile across various contexts, it is frequently found in News & Media and Academic writings. When aiming for conciseness or heightened formality, alternatives such as "currently performing" or "engaged in" may be considered. However, "in the midst of doing" remains a reliable choice for conveying ongoing activity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in the process of doing

Highlights the ongoing nature of the activity and the steps involved.

actively working on

Emphasizes the effort and labor being put into the activity.

currently performing

Focuses on the action being actively carried out at the present time, omitting the sense of being surrounded by other events.

presently engaged in

More formal and emphasizes active involvement in the task.

while carrying out

Emphasizes the execution of a specific task or duty.

while undertaking

Slightly more formal, suggesting a task or project is being managed.

in the thick of

Implies a deeper level of involvement, often with challenges or complexities.

as it is being done

Focuses on the activity's progression. It changes the structure to a clause.

during the execution of

More formal and highlights the precise moment the action is being undertaken.

at this moment of

Highlights a specific task that's being done. It changes the structure to a noun.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "in the midst of doing" to sound more formal?

To sound more formal, you could use phrases like "currently performing", "presently engaged in", or "during the execution of" depending on the specific context.

Is there a simpler way to say "in the midst of doing"?

Yes, you can use simpler alternatives such as "currently doing", "actively working on", or "in the process of doing".

When is it appropriate to use "in the midst of doing"?

It's appropriate when you want to emphasize that an action is ongoing, and possibly surrounded by other events or distractions. It suggests a state of being actively involved in something.

What's the difference between "in the midst of doing" and "already did"?

"In the midst of doing" describes an action that is currently happening, while "already did" indicates that an action has been completed. They represent opposite temporal states.