start heading home

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "start heading home" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when indicating that someone should begin their journey back to their residence or place of origin. Example: "It's getting late, so I think it's time to start heading home before the traffic gets worse."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Travel

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Do it before all the commuters start heading home to Marin.

The Guardian - Travel

They could start heading home before the end of the year.

The Guardian

It will also give us a little time to get some last-minute pictures of the specimens before we we all start heading home.

The New York Times

"When sockeye have gotten nice and fat out in the Pacific and start heading home to spawn, they have to decide which way to swim around Vancouver Island," Dr. Putman said.

The New York Times

Lamont asserts -- usually to a sea of nodding heads -- that the United States should continue providing support to the Iraqis, but that "our front-line military troops should begin to be redeployed and our troops should start heading home". Voters greet him with a mixture of curiosity and relief.

The Washington Post

The fighters will soon enter demobilisation camps, and refugees can hopefully start heading home.Which leaves the FNL.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"I jumped in my police car and started heading home".

The New York Times

Executives can take uncrowded daytime trips into the city, hold meetings and depart before the crush of commuters starts heading home, Mr. Thompson said.

The New York Times

It's a sometimes chaotic party scene that lasts until 2 30 a.m. or so, when everyone starts heading home on the early-morning buses that fan out from central London.

The New York Times - Travel

Once it became dark, the Brandenburg Gate was illuminated in the colors of the French flag, before people slowly started heading home.

Vice

Once it became dark, the Brandenburg Gate was illuminated in the colours of the French flag, before people slowly started heading home.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To enhance clarity and conciseness, consider if a simpler alternative like "begin to go home" suits your needs without sacrificing the intended meaning.

Common error

Avoid using "start heading home" in highly formal or academic writing where more sophisticated phrasing might be expected. In such scenarios, "commence the return journey" or a similar alternative would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "start heading home" functions as a verb phrase indicating the commencement of a journey towards one's residence. It combines the verb "start" with the gerund phrase "heading home" to describe the action of beginning to return.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

10%

Travel

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "start heading home" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to express the beginning of a journey back to one's residence. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in English, and while it is not the most frequent phrase, it's commonly found in news, media, and travel contexts. For more formal situations, consider alternatives such as "begin to go home". The phrase is a practical and relatively versatile way to communicate the commencement of a return journey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

begin to go home

Simple and direct alternative, slightly less descriptive.

start back home

Shorter, more casual way of saying the same thing.

start making your way back

Adds a sense of progress and effort in returning.

begin returning home

Emphasizes the commencement of the return journey, slightly more formal.

start the trip back home

Highlights the journey aspect of returning.

set off for home

Emphasizes the beginning of the trip and the destination.

get going home

Informal and emphasizes the action of leaving.

commence the journey back

More formal and emphasizes the start of the return journey.

start homeward bound

More literary and emphasizes the feeling of returning home.

begin the trek home

Emphasizes the effort and distance of the return journey.

FAQs

What does "start heading home" mean?

The phrase "start heading home" means to begin the journey back to one's residence or place of origin.

What can I say instead of "start heading home"?

You can use alternatives like "begin to go home", "start making your way back", or "begin returning home" depending on the context.

Is "start heading home" grammatically correct?

Yes, "start heading home" is grammatically correct and commonly used in both spoken and written English.

When is it appropriate to use "start heading home"?

It's appropriate to use "start heading home" in situations where you want to indicate the beginning of a return journey, suitable for casual and moderately formal contexts.