when I was closing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "when I was closing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to tell a story in the past tense, for example: "When I was closing the store for the night, I heard a strange noise coming from the back office."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This announcement coincidentally a year after we last spoke when I was closing DrawQuest [Poole's venture-backed drawing game startup].

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

I respond poorly to stretches of vastness but do equally badly when I am closed in, as I am severely claustrophobic.

The New York Times - Books

"Jock and Damian took me on a gig when I was close to my heaviest.

The New York Times - Arts

At climaxes, though, it seemed excessively vivid, even shrill, especially when I was close to the stage.

The New Yorker

Naturally they ask questions about the choices I made in this era, when I was close to their present age.

The New York Times - Magazine

Thus, at a time when I was close to failing most of my subjects, my real education was getting under way.

The New Yorker

I've been in Dubai, America and, when I was close to return, I've been in Italy to do a detox.

The Guardian - Sport

"I said this to the manager in the summer when I was close to signing," Southern told BBC Radio Shropshire, "With or without me, Shrewsbury Town will get promoted.

BBC

Vettel said: "The pace was there but it was extremely difficult when I was close to Fernando and Jenson we seemed to lose a lot and not be able to stay close enough to try to something under braking.

BBC

Even my younger cousins could feel the tension when I was close to them.

Huffington Post

"It's ironic because when I was close to my lowest weight, my doctor congratulated me on how wonderful I looked," says Folcik, now 52.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "when I was closing" to describe a specific moment or event that happened as you were in the process of closing something, such as a store or a project. This clarifies the temporal relationship between actions.

Common error

Avoid using "when I am closing" when referring to a past event. The phrase "when I was closing" correctly uses the past continuous tense to indicate an ongoing action in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "when I was closing" functions as an adverbial clause of time, providing context to the main clause by specifying when another action occurred. As Ludwig AI states, it sets up a past tense narrative.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "when I was closing" is a grammatically correct phrase used as an adverbial clause of time, primarily found in narrative contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable. While its occurrence is rare, it serves to provide temporal context to an event in the past. It’s essential to use it accurately to avoid tense disagreements, and remember that it indicates a past action in progress. Alternative phrases like "as I was concluding" or "upon closing" may offer suitable substitutes depending on the level of formality needed. The single example identified by Ludwig comes from a News & Media source, suggesting its common usage in descriptive reporting.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

when I finished closing

Adds emphasis on completing the action of closing.

as I was concluding

Replaces "closing" with a more formal synonym, emphasizing the act of bringing something to an end.

while I was shutting down

Focuses on the action of deactivating or turning off something, offering a more specific alternative to "closing".

when I was finishing up

Offers a more informal and general way of saying that something was being completed.

at the time I was locking up

Highlights the security aspect of closing, typically associated with businesses or buildings.

as I prepared to close

Shifts the focus to the preparation phase just before closing.

upon closing

Condenses the phrase, making it more concise and slightly more formal.

during the closing process

Emphasizes the entire procedure of closing, rather than a single moment.

while finalizing the closure

Uses more formal terms like "finalizing" and "closure" to indicate a formal conclusion.

just before the end of my shift

Replaces closing with an indicator of a defined time period ending.

FAQs

How can I use "when I was closing" in a sentence?

You can use "when I was closing" to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. For example: "When I was closing the restaurant, I heard a strange noise".

What's a more formal alternative to "when I was closing"?

For a more formal tone, you could use "as I was concluding" or "upon closing", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "when I am closing"?

No, "when I am closing" is generally used for future actions or habitual actions. If you're describing a past event, "when I was closing" is more appropriate.

What's the difference between "when I closed" and "when I was closing"?

"When I closed" refers to a completed action in the past, while "when I was closing" implies an action that was in progress over a period of time in the past. For example, "When I closed the door, I left" versus "When I was closing the store, I heard a noise".