make some progress

USAGE SUMMARY

"make some progress" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it whenever you want to refer to moving forward in a task or project. For example: "I'm determined to make some progress on this presentation before the end of the day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A mosaic approach can make some progress.

The New York Times

It did appear to make some progress.

The Economist

But they did make some progress over gas.

The Economist

"Now, I think they will make some progress.

The New York Times - Sports

Just starting to make some progress in her job.

The New Yorker

In the meantime, I did make some progress.

The New York Times - Tech

"We are beginning to make some progress," he said.

The Guardian - Sport

The agricultural summit meeting, the first of its kind, did make some progress.

The New York Times

"It's just a beginning but we will make some progress with time," he said.

The New York Times

This sort of action would motivate the principals to make some progress.

The New York Times

"I know if I got in the room I would make some progress," he said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "make some progress" when you want to emphasize that forward movement has been achieved, even if the task is not yet complete. It acknowledges the effort and advancement made.

Common error

Avoid using "make some progress" when the advancement is negligible or insignificant. Reserve it for situations where there's been a noticeable and worthwhile improvement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make some progress" functions primarily as a verb phrase. Based on Ludwig AI, it's used to indicate the action of advancing or moving forward in a task or situation. The inclusion of 'some' suggests a degree of advancement has been achieved.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "make some progress" is a versatile and commonly used expression to indicate advancement or improvement in a particular task or situation. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business communications. While semantically related phrases like "make headway" and "gain ground" offer alternative expressions, "make some progress" provides a general and accessible way to convey forward movement. It's important to use the phrase when there is noticeable improvement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make headway

This alternative suggests overcoming obstacles and advancing towards a goal.

gain ground

This suggests incremental progress, often in a competitive context.

advance further

This emphasizes the act of moving forward from a current position.

move forward

A general term indicating progression or advancement.

achieve advancement

This focuses on the accomplishment of progress.

show improvement

This focuses on demonstrating positive change or development.

develop positively

This highlights the favorable direction of development.

turn the corner

This idiom suggests overcoming a critical point and moving towards improvement.

get somewhere

An informal way to express achieving a degree of success or progress.

see results

This alternative emphasizes the tangible outcomes of progress.

FAQs

How can I use "make some progress" in a sentence?

You can use "make some progress" to describe moving forward on a task or project. For example, "We hope to "make some progress" on the budget negotiations this week".

What can I say instead of "make some progress"?

You can use alternatives like "make headway", "gain ground", or "advance further" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "made some progress"?

Yes, "made some progress" is the past tense form of the phrase and is grammatically correct. For instance, "We "made some progress" on the report yesterday".

What's the difference between "make progress" and "make some progress"?

"Make progress" is a general statement about advancing, while "make some progress" emphasizes that a certain amount of advancement, though potentially not complete, has been achieved. The addition of "some" adds a nuance of acknowledgment of tangible advancement.