order to do something

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "order to do something" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "in order to do something"? You can use "in order to do something" when explaining the purpose or intention behind an action. Example: "She studied hard in order to do well on her exams."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

"You have to notice you've lost focus in order to do something about it".

The New York Times

"You never know who might give an order to do something against you.

The Guardian

I have to be really passionate in order to do something.

The Guardian - Music

Ivan and Pankratov cooked up the scholarship in order to do something for Charlie Halifax's nephew.

The New York Times - Books

"We don't need perfect answers in order to do something better.

The Guardian - Opinion

I inhaled deeply in order to do something at a slow, deliberate pace.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

9.35pm GMT Labour's John McDonnell says there should be a conscience clause to protect journalist ordered to do something they consider to be unethical.

The Guardian

His mention of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals is a hint that he was ordered to do something — one of the only ways a case can go directly to a Court of Appeals is to challenge an agency order.

The New Yorker

But Mr. Shah and his colleagues are also sworn to heal, and until they are ordered to do something else, heal they will, though with an unusually careful touch.

The New York Times

In contrast to the previous oath, which required allegiance to the constitution of the country and its lawful establishments, this new oath required members of the military to obey Hitler even if they were being ordered to do something illegal.

Wikipedia

"I believe [Haspel] is someone who can and will stand up to the President if ordered to do something illegal or immoral like a return to torture," Warner said in a statement. .

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "in order to do something" to clearly express the purpose or reason behind an action. It provides a more formal and explicit way to indicate intention, improving clarity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using just "order to do something" as it's grammatically incorrect. Always include "in" before "order" to correctly express purpose. For example, write "in order to achieve" instead of "order to achieve".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "order to do something" is typically part of the correct phrase "in order to do something", which functions as an adverbial phrase of purpose, modifying a verb to explain why an action is performed. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is incorrect on its own.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "order to do something" is generally considered grammatically incorrect on its own. It is nearly always used as part of the phrase "in order to do something", which expresses purpose or intent. As Ludwig AI points out, using "order to do something" without the preceding "in" is a common error. To ensure clarity and grammatical correctness, always use "in order to do something" when you want to explain the reason for an action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in order to do something

Adds the preposition "in", correcting the grammatical structure to properly indicate purpose.

so as to do something

Replaces "in order to" with "so as to", providing a more concise way to express purpose.

with the aim of doing something

Uses "with the aim of" to convey intention, offering a more formal alternative.

for the purpose of doing something

Substitutes "in order to" with "for the purpose of", emphasizing the intended goal.

to do something

A more concise form expressing purpose or intention.

with a view to doing something

Employs "with a view to" to indicate a future intention or goal.

intending to do something

Uses the participle "intending" to show the planned action.

planning to do something

Highlights the planning aspect of the action, indicating premeditation.

aspiring to do something

Suggests a strong desire or ambition to perform the action.

seeking to do something

Indicates an attempt or effort to achieve a specific outcome.

FAQs

How to properly use "in order to do something" in a sentence?

Use "in order to do something" to introduce the reason or purpose for performing an action. For example: "She studied diligently "in order to pass the exam"."

What is a more concise alternative to "in order to do something"?

A shorter alternative is "to do something". For example, instead of "He saved money in order to buy a car", you can say "He saved money "to buy a car"."

Is there a difference in formality between "in order to do something" and "so as to do something"?

"In order to do something" and "so as to do something" are quite similar, but "so as to" can sound slightly more formal or literary. The choice depends on the context and desired tone.

Which phrase is correct, "order to do something" or "in order to do something"?

"In order to do something" is correct. "Order to do something" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided.