tendency of doing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'tendency of doing' is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase can be used to talk about a habit, pattern, or inclination that someone has. For example, "The professor had a tendency of making his lectures more challenging each year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"The New York Knicks organization has a tendency of doing that.

The New York Times - Sports

"I am concerned that we are falling into the timeworn tendency of doing too little until it is too late," said Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., Democrat of Delaware and the new chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said at hearings today.

The New York Times

Microsoft has the unfortunate tendency of doing two things during launch.

TechCrunch

"My husband, while very charming in many ways, has an annoying tendency of doing exactly the opposite of what I would like him to do in many situations," says Tanya L. Chartrand, an associate professor of marketing and psychology at the Fuqua School of Business.

Duke University

More than 30 years later, that same lot are still around, only older and grayer (time has a tendency of doing that to you), and accompanied by their kids, who are into the mod scene, though may not completely identify with it.

Vice

Parrilla: What we see or what we have seen recently is a general tendency of doing projects of low environmental impact, and this implies that many of our clients are asking to use recyclable materials or easily reproduced materials like bamboo.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

This estimated design intent provides a basis for us to identify the evaluation tendency of designers' ways of doing design.

Advanced Engineering Informatics

From fingerprint-based point of view, the overall tendency of searching did not change considerably when MACCS or CDK FP fingerprints were used.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Knowing that you have some weird tendencies or have specific ways of doing things is important to know, so that when you end up living with your significant other, you aren't smacked across the face with all these new neuroses.

Huffington Post

While it is of course always desired to discover issues internally before outside users experience them, the tendencies just described raise the burden of doing so.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

Similarly, doing the right thing from a fixed and stable character which virtue ethics considers a condition of the good is not beyond the reach of existential evaluation: such character may simply be a product of my tendency to "do what one does," including feeling "the right way" about things and betaking myself in appropriate ways as one is expected to do.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "tendency of doing", ensure the verb following "of" is in the gerund form (e.g., "tendency of overthinking"). This maintains grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using the base form of the verb after "of doing". For example, instead of "tendency of do", use "tendency of doing".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tendency of doing" functions as a noun phrase, specifically a gerund phrase, that describes a habitual or characteristic way of performing an action. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "tendency of doing" is grammatically correct and describes a habitual or characteristic way of performing an action. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. Although considered uncommon, it finds its place across varied contexts like news, academia, and scientific writing. While alternatives like "habit of doing" or "inclination to do" exist, "tendency of doing" specifically emphasizes an ongoing action. Remember to follow it with a gerund to maintain grammatical accuracy. Despite its correct usage, "tendency to do" is often a more preferred and common alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

inclination to do

Replaces "tendency" with "inclination", focusing on a leaning towards an action.

habit of doing

Substitutes "tendency" with "habit", emphasizing a repeated behavior.

pattern of doing

Replaces "tendency" with "pattern", highlighting a predictable way of acting.

propensity to do

Uses "propensity" instead of "tendency", suggesting a natural inclination.

predisposition to do

Employs "predisposition", indicating a prior inclination.

leaning towards doing

Rephrases using "leaning", emphasizing a direction of action.

way of doing

Focuses on a particular "way" something is typically done.

practice of doing

Highlights the "practice" or routine nature of an action.

custom of doing

Uses "custom" to indicate a generally accepted way of doing something.

bent on doing

Suggests a strong determination or "bent" towards an action.

FAQs

How can I use "tendency of doing" in a sentence?

You can use "tendency of doing" to describe a habit or pattern. For example, "He has a "tendency of doing" things at the last minute".

What's a good substitute for "tendency of doing"?

Alternatives include "habit of doing", "inclination to do", or "pattern of doing", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "tendency to do" instead of "tendency of doing"?

Yes, "tendency to do" is also grammatically correct and often preferred. For example, "He has a "tendency to procrastinate"" is a valid alternative.

What is the difference between "tendency of doing" and "tendency to do"?

While both phrases are acceptable, "tendency to do" is more common and generally preferred. "Tendency of doing" is used to emphasize the ongoing nature of the action, while "tendency to do" is a more general statement of inclination.