shortly before ten

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shortly before ten" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a time that is just a little bit before ten o'clock, often in contexts related to scheduling or events. Example: "We should arrive at the meeting shortly before ten to ensure we have time to settle in."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

They began their escape shortly before ten o'clock on a starless summer night, he said, and planned to cross the border in the vicinity of Teltow.

The New Yorker

Shortly before ten o'clock, she parked her minivan in front of Walmir Meat, Inc., on Washington Street near West Fourteenth Street.

The New Yorker

People find out about her… Shortly before ten o'clock this past Monday morning, there was a butterfly in the lowest level of the West Fourth Street subway station.

The New Yorker

"Lyin' Ted Cruz just used a picture of Melania from a G.Q. shoot in his ad," he complained shortly before ten o'clock Eastern time.

The New Yorker

The bank had just announced a change in its hours, and I couldn't recall whether the new opening time was nine-thirty or ten, so I arrived shortly before ten o'clock.

The New Yorker

A rock band from Yorkshire was playing, amid such guests as Orlando Bloom, Claire Danes, Hugh Dancy, Blake Lively, and, evidently, a lot of British people — shortly before ten, the bar reportedly went dry.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

The bombardment began shortly before eleven.

The New Yorker

Shortly before eleven o'clock this morning [Dec.

The New York Times

Something appeared in the sky shortly before one o'clock.

The New Yorker

White reached Lasn by telephone shortly before nine.

The New Yorker

Shortly before nine o'clock, NBC News declared Clinton the "presumptive nominee".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "shortly before ten" to indicate a specific time frame when precision is not critical but a general sense of timing is needed. For example, "The meeting will begin shortly before ten."

Common error

Avoid using "shortly before ten" when a more precise time is known or necessary. For instance, instead of saying "The train arrived shortly before ten", specify "The train arrived at 9:55 a.m." for greater clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shortly before ten" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause to indicate when an action occurs in relation to the time of 10 o'clock. Ludwig examples show it describing when events happen relative to that time.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "shortly before ten" is a useful and grammatically correct way to indicate that something happens just before 10 o'clock. Ludwig confirms its usability in a variety of contexts. It's a versatile phrase, suitable for general conversation and writing alike. While it doesn't offer pinpoint accuracy, it effectively conveys a timeframe. Alternatives like "a little before ten" or "just before ten" offer subtle variations in meaning. As the examples from Ludwig illustrate, "shortly before ten" is commonly used in news and media, as well as in general writing, to set the scene and provide a clear, if approximate, sense of timing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a little before ten

Uses "a little" instead of "shortly" to convey a similar meaning of being slightly before the specified time.

just before ten

Replaces "shortly" with "just" to indicate immediacy before the specified time.

almost ten

Indicates that the time is nearing ten o'clock.

nearly ten

Similar to "almost ten", conveying that the time is close to ten o'clock.

close to ten

Expresses that the time is approaching ten o'clock.

around ten

Indicates the time is approximately ten o'clock, though it can be slightly before or after.

few minutes before ten

Indicates an unspecified small number of minutes before ten o'clock.

ten minutes to ten

Specifies a ten-minute interval before ten o'clock.

approaching ten

Suggests that the time is in the process of reaching ten o'clock.

a quarter to ten

Specifies a fifteen-minute interval before ten o'clock.

FAQs

What does "shortly before ten" mean?

The phrase "shortly before ten" means a time that is a little bit before 10:00 a.m. or p.m. It indicates that something happens or will happen in the moments leading up to ten o'clock.

How can I use "shortly before ten" in a sentence?

You can use "shortly before ten" to set a timeframe for an event. For example, "The doors will open "shortly before ten", so please arrive a few minutes early."

What's the difference between ""shortly before ten"" and "just before ten"?

The phrases are very similar, but "just before ten" might imply a slightly smaller time window than ""shortly before ten"". Both indicate the period immediately preceding ten o'clock.

What are some alternatives to ""shortly before ten""?

Alternatives include "a little before ten", "almost ten", or "nearly ten". The best choice depends on the context and the degree of approximation you want to convey. "Almost ten" suggests it is very close to 10, whereas a "little before ten" may imply a slightly larger gap.