recently ago

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "recently ago" is not correct and should not be used in written English.
The word "recently" already implies a time frame that is close to the present, making "ago" redundant. Example: "I visited the museum recently."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Recently, AGO proteins were found participated in regulation of reproduction.

BMC Plant Biology

Recently, Ago proteins have been identified as substrates of the α- P4H-α(I)) and β-(P4H-β) subunits of the type I collagen prolyl-4-hydroxylase (C-P4H) [ 190].

Cell Communication and Signaling

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

He did so most recently three days ago.

The New York Times

The American Lung Association, which created "Christmas Seals" nearly a century ago, recently gave gift-wrapping kits.

The New York Times

Even as recently as a month ago it could have avoided the events now driving it to breaking point.

The New York Times

A man who had a book published two or three months ago recently ran into his publisher in a midtown club.

The New Yorker

And from the start of campaigning on July 6th till today, Brazilians were taken for a wild ride.As recently as two days ago Mr Neves was polling third.

The Economist

The competing claims have been a source of tension before, most recently five years ago, when anti-Japanese protests erupted in some Chinese cities.

The New York Times

In Rockford, a manufacturing outpost west of Chicago, Donald Ritter, who was laid off 14 months ago, recently found a temporary job operating a machine for a hydraulics company.

The New York Times

Now, security researchers are finding that some of the same criminals who closed down scareware operations as recently as a year ago are back deploying ransomware.

The New York Times - Tech

Someone at a big company that I worked for some years ago recently approached me via e-mail, asking if I would be interested in rejoining.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "recently ago" in formal writing. Opt for alternatives like "recently", "not long ago", or "just recently" to maintain grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Do not combine "recently" with "ago". "Recently" already implies a past time frame close to the present, making "ago" unnecessary and grammatically incorrect. For example, instead of writing "I saw him recently ago", write "I saw him recently."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "recently ago" functions as an adverbial phrase attempting to specify a time in the past. However, it is grammatically incorrect due to the redundancy of "recently" and "ago" conveying the same temporal information, as explained by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "recently ago" is considered grammatically incorrect due to the redundancy of the words "recently" and "ago", as Ludwig AI explains. While some examples exist, primarily in news and scientific contexts, its use is not recommended in formal writing. Alternatives like "recently", "not long ago", or "just recently" offer clearer and more grammatically sound ways to indicate a time frame close to the present. Therefore, avoiding "recently ago" enhances the clarity and correctness of written communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not long ago

This alternative replaces the combined "recently ago" with a more common and grammatically correct phrase indicating a short time in the past.

just recently

This alternative uses "just" to emphasize the recency, providing a similar meaning while being grammatically sound.

lately

This alternative directly replaces "recently ago" with a single adverb indicating recent occurrence.

in recent times

This phrase provides a slightly more formal alternative, indicating a period close to the present.

a short while ago

This alternative conveys the idea of a brief period passing before the present moment.

in the recent past

This phrase is a more formal way of saying "recently", emphasizing the time period.

of late

This alternative, while less common, offers a more sophisticated way to express "recently".

in recent memory

This phrase specifies that the event occurred within a time frame that is easily remembered.

in the last little while

This alternative is a more colloquial way of saying "recently".

just now

This phrase indicates something that happened moments ago.

FAQs

Why is "recently ago" considered incorrect?

The phrase "recently ago" is redundant because the word "recently" already implies a time frame in the past that is close to the present. Adding "ago" duplicates this meaning, making the phrase grammatically unsound. Consider using "just recently" instead.

What are some alternatives to "recently ago"?

Instead of "recently ago", you can use alternatives such as "not long ago", "just recently", or simply "lately". These options provide similar meanings without the grammatical error.

In what contexts might I encounter "recently ago", and should I use it?

While you might encounter "recently ago" in informal speech or writing, it's best to avoid using it in formal contexts. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "in the recent past" or "a short while ago" to ensure clarity and correctness.

How can I correct a sentence that contains "recently ago"?

To correct a sentence containing "recently ago", simply remove "ago". For example, change "I visited Paris recently ago" to "I visited Paris recently". Alternatively, you could rephrase the sentence using "a short time ago".