instead of doing

USAGE SUMMARY

"instead of doing" is correct and usable in written English.
It means "as an alternative to doing" and can be used in many situations. For example: "I decided to take a break instead of doing more work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

NON-STRIVING -- Meditation is about "non-doing" instead of doing.

HuffPost

Students procrastinate instead of doing their schoolwork.

The New Yorker

It's looking good instead of doing good.

The New York Times

Instead of doing well, you might be quite wealthy.

The New York Times

Instead of doing sports, he learned to sew.

The New York Times - Arts

But, instead of doing that, he actually seized the opportunity.

The New Yorker

They play at night instead of doing their homework.

The Guardian - Opinion

Instead of doing domestic makeovers, he does tourism makeovers.

The Guardian - Travel

Why purchase mixes instead of doing your own?

The New York Times

Instead of doing his homework, David was boxing.

The New York Times - Sports

Instead of doing five jumps before, now I do 10.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Vary your sentence structure by placing "instead of doing" at the beginning, middle, or end of the sentence for emphasis and better flow.

Common error

Avoid placing "instead of doing" so far from the verb it modifies that it creates a dangling modifier. Ensure the phrase directly precedes the action it's altering to maintain clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "instead of doing" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces an alternative action or state, modifying a verb or clause by indicating what is not being done. Ludwig examples show its use across varied contexts to present choices or replacements.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

25%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "instead of doing" is a versatile prepositional phrase used to present alternative actions or states. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's grammatically sound and widely applicable. It appears frequently in News & Media and Academic contexts. When using the phrase, ensure it clearly contrasts the replaced action with the alternative to avoid ambiguity. While generally neutral, be mindful of the context to maintain appropriate tone. Consider related phrases like "rather than doing" or "as opposed to doing" for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rather than doing

Focuses on preference, similar to "instead of doing" but can sometimes imply a stronger sense of choice.

as opposed to doing

Highlights a contrast between two actions, making the alternative more prominent.

in place of doing

Emphasizes the substitution of one action for another, often implying a direct replacement.

alternatively doing

Introduces an alternative action, often suggesting a choice between equally viable options.

instead performing

A more formal alternative, where "performing" replaces "doing" to add a touch of sophistication.

as a substitute for doing

More explicit about the substitution, suitable for formal contexts where clarity is essential.

in lieu of doing

A somewhat archaic but still valid option for formal writing, meaning "in place of".

rather performing

Similar to "rather than doing", this phrase is more formal.

on behalf of doing

Expresses doing in someone's else behalf, it implies that the action is performed by someone else.

by means of doing

This phrase describes how an action will be performed.

FAQs

How can I use "instead of doing" in a sentence?

Use "instead of doing" to show an alternative action. For example, "Instead of watching TV, I read a book" indicates that reading a book was the chosen alternative.

What are some alternatives to "instead of doing"?

You can use phrases like "rather than doing", "as opposed to doing", or "in place of doing" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with "instead of doing"?

Yes, starting a sentence with "instead of doing" is grammatically correct. For example, "Instead of going out, we stayed home" is perfectly acceptable.

What's the difference between "instead of doing" and "instead of do"?

"Instead of doing" uses the gerund form, which is correct when referring to an action. "Instead of do" is grammatically incorrect. For instance, it's correct to say "I chose to exercise instead of doing nothing", not "instead of do nothing".