shortly of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shortly of" is not correct and is not commonly used in written English.
It may be intended to convey a sense of being close to something, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "We were shortly of reaching our destination when the storm hit."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Bradshaw also predicted "an almighty row" when Ofcom completes its review, due shortly, of the sporting events that should be broadcast free to air.

The Guardian

Parliament will be informed shortly of the detailed changes to the border security budget when the department's main supplementary estimates are published.

The Guardian

In the past week, Chinese officials and news organizations have expressed anger over reports that the Obama administration could notify Congress shortly of such arms sales.

The New York Times

The party said 87-year-old Le Pen would be "notified shortly" of the decision, which came after the FN's executive committee questioned him for hours and voted to exclude him over inflammatory comments that had proved too much for his daughter, pushing him out of a party he led for close to four decades.

The Guardian

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, who is leaving his job soon to return home to Dallas, said the White House would formally notify Congress shortly of its plans to negotiate the U.S.-EU trade deal, a procedural step that allows lawmakers to weigh in before actual talks begin.

Huffington Post

Case studies are presented shortly of some on-going success stories in the packaged water industry.

Globalization and Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

He also added that they will be raising another round of funding shortly for Touch Of Modern.

TechCrunch

We'll have coverage of that shortly and of watchOS 2 when it's ready for prime time.

TechCrunch

Shortly after, of course, one learns of death — that dark way out.

The New Yorker

He too was shortly to die of breast cancer.

The Guardian - Books

Shortly, groups of 20 aged flies were transferred to the bottom of a 50 ml cylinder without anesthesia.

Human Molecular Genetics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "shortly of" in formal writing. Opt for clearer and grammatically correct alternatives like "soon after" or "shortly after" to convey the intended meaning of temporal proximity.

Common error

A common mistake is to assume "of" can directly follow "shortly" to indicate a time relationship. Instead, use "after" or rephrase to clarify the connection, as "shortly" typically modifies a verb or adjective, not a noun directly introduced by "of".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shortly of" functions as a prepositional phrase, though its usage is non-standard and often grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI indicates, the construction isn't generally accepted in formal English. Examples in Ludwig show attempts to convey temporal proximity or relationship, but the phrase is not idiomatic.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

60%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "shortly of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect and is not recommended for use in formal writing. While Ludwig provides examples of its occurrence across various sources, its inconsistent and non-standard usage undermines clarity. As Ludwig AI highlights, this phrase is better substituted with grammatically sound alternatives like "shortly after", "soon after", or "close to", depending on the intended meaning. Pay close attention to the context and choose alternatives that clearly convey the temporal relationship or proximity you intend to express. Avoid this phrase to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

soon after

Indicates that something happens very close in time following another event.

shortly after

Similar to "soon after", emphasizing the brief time interval between two events.

just after

Highlights that something occurred immediately following another event.

close to

Indicates proximity in time or in a metaphorical sense.

immediately following

Emphasizes that there's almost no time gap between two events.

not long after

Conveys that a relatively short time passed before the subsequent event.

in the near future

Refers to events expected to happen in a time frame close to the present.

in a little while

Expresses that something will happen relatively soon.

coming up soon

Suggests an imminent or upcoming event.

in short order

Implies that something will be done or happen quickly and efficiently.

FAQs

Is "shortly of" grammatically correct?

No, "shortly of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to use alternatives like "shortly after" or "soon after".

When can I use "shortly" correctly?

Use "shortly" to modify a verb indicating that something will happen soon. For example, "The meeting will begin shortly". It's also correct to use "shortly after" followed by an event.

What's a good substitute for "shortly of"?

Instead of "shortly of", try "close to" or "just after", depending on the intended meaning. For example, instead of "shortly of reaching", use "close to reaching".

How can I avoid using "shortly of" in my writing?

Focus on using prepositions correctly. If you want to express something happening soon after another event, use "shortly after". If you want to express closeness, use "close to".