that happened quickly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that happened quickly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an event or situation that occurred in a short amount of time. Example: "The changes in the project timeline were unexpected, and everything that happened quickly left the team scrambling to adjust."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

As it turned out, that happened quickly.

TechCrunch

That happened quickly, in 2004, when a drought sharply reduced the food supply.

The New York Times - Science

That happened quickly, but the struggle to find lenders continued for half a year.

The New York Times

When young people take over, your old fashioned way of homophobic thinking will be going the way of the cassette tape, hey even the CD is almost gone... wow that happened quickly!

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"Douglas Lute can make sure that happens quickly and reliably," President George Bush said.

The Guardian

But once he is successful, especially if that happens quickly, it's as if the bird were now an emu.

The New Yorker

The histidine kinase BaeS of E. coli also shows a copper-induced cluster formation that happens quickly and reversibly37.

Nature

Can I prevent this? A. Flower stalks turn brown once their job is done, and with your plants that happens quickly.

The New York Times

And their performance depends on the speed of the connection-try accessing most ASPs with a dial-up modem and frustration is the only thing that happens quickly.

MIT Technology Review

It was the idea to take the innovation that happens quickly on the consumer side and putting it into the enterprise apps.

TechCrunch

So any "scandal" that happens quickly morphs into "old news".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that happened quickly" to emphasize the unexpected or surprisingly fast nature of an event. This phrase works well in both narrative and descriptive contexts to highlight the pace of change or occurrence.

Common error

Avoid using "that happened quickly" excessively in highly formal or academic writing. While grammatically correct, consider more sophisticated alternatives like "that transpired rapidly" or "that unfolded swiftly" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that happened quickly" functions as a clause or part of a sentence to describe the speed at which an event occurred. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Wiki

13%

Science

6%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "that happened quickly" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English, used to describe events that occur rapidly. According to Ludwig AI, it's suitable for various contexts, though it can be seen as slightly informal for highly formal writing. The phrase appears most frequently in news and media sources, indicating its general acceptability. For more formal situations, consider alternatives such as "that transpired rapidly" or "<a href="/s/that+unfolded+swiftly". While not as prevalent as other similar expressions, it is still a recognized and understood way to emphasize the speed of an occurrence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that transpired rapidly

Replaces "happened" with "transpired" and "quickly" with "rapidly", maintaining a formal tone and emphasizing the speed of the event.

that unfolded swiftly

Uses "unfolded" instead of "happened" and "swiftly" for "quickly", giving a sense of smooth and rapid progression.

that occurred promptly

Substitutes "happened" with "occurred" and "quickly" with "promptly", which suggests immediacy and lack of delay.

that materialized instantaneously

Replaces "happened" with "materialized" to indicate something becoming real quickly, and "instantaneously" adds more emphasis to the speed.

that came about fast

Uses simpler language to convey the same meaning, replacing "happened" with "came about" and "quickly" with "fast".

that developed rapidly

Emphasizes the development or evolution of something in a short amount of time, using "developed" and "rapidly".

that took place speedily

Replaces "happened" with "took place" and "quickly" with "speedily", suggesting a formal tone and focusing on the pace of the event.

that was sudden

Simplifies the phrase to highlight the abrupt and unexpected nature of the event.

that was expeditious

Uses a more formal and less common word, "expeditious", to emphasize the efficiency and speed of the event.

that accelerated swiftly

Highlights the acceleration of an event, using "accelerated" in place of "happened" and "swiftly" instead of "quickly".

FAQs

What does "that happened quickly" mean?

The phrase "that happened quickly" means that something occurred or took place in a short amount of time. It emphasizes the speed or swiftness of an event or process.

How can I use "that happened quickly" in a sentence?

You can use "that happened quickly" to describe an event that occurred faster than expected. For example: "The company's growth was remarkable; "that happened quickly" after the new marketing strategy was implemented."

What can I say instead of "that happened quickly"?

You can use alternatives like "that transpired rapidly", "that unfolded swiftly", or "that occurred promptly" depending on the context.

Is "that happened quickly" formal or informal?

The phrase "that happened quickly" is generally considered neutral. While it is grammatically correct and widely understood, it can be perceived as slightly informal. In very formal contexts, consider using more sophisticated alternatives.