will about to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "will about to" is not correct and usable in written English. It is a combination of two future forms that do not work together. You can use "about to" with "is" or "was," but not with "will." An example of a correct phrase is "I am about to leave." Alternative expressions include "going to" and "on the verge of."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

In "Thirteen Moons," the 12-year-old Will, about to embark for the Cherokee country, is shown sitting under an apple tree reading Virgil.

The New York Times - Books

In this scenario, the present CO2 content of 386 v/v in the atmosphere will about to double and cause global warming of several kelvin with rising sea levels and more frequent weather excursions.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It will seem about to burn.

The New York Times

Hopefully, Harris will be about to provide balance in Washington, she said.

Los Angeles Times

Be transparent with those in your will about how you plan to distribute your assets.

WikiHow

How long it took to build Will: About two years.

The New York Times - Magazine

His salary will rise to about $900,000 from about $675,000 now.

The New York Times

I'll talk about it to the few who ask.

The Guardian - Opinion

Then I'll worry about how to make money.' ".

The New York Times

I'll talk about Oprah to start.

Huffington Post

You'll worry about how to execute your ideas later.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

If you wish to use the modal 'will', pair it with an adverb like 'soon' or 'shortly' instead of the phrase 'about to'.

Common error

Avoid combining the modal 'will' with 'about to'. Both indicate future intent, but 'will' is a modal verb that requires a base form verb, while 'about to' is an adjectival phrase that requires a linking verb like 'is'. Using them together creates a structural mismatch.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "will about to" is an incorrect modal construction. In English grammar, the modal "will" must be followed by the base form of a verb (e.g., "will go", "will be"). The phrase "about to" is an adjectival phrase that functions as a subject complement, meaning it requires a linking verb like "is" or "was". As noted by Ludwig, this construction is a combination of two future forms that do not work together.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "will about to" is a non-standard and grammatically incorrect phrase. Ludwig AI highlights that this is a combination of two distinct future markers that cannot be merged directly. The modal "will" cannot precede an adjectival phrase like "about to" without the presence of the linking verb "be". While you may occasionally encounter this in the wild—often as a typo or in cases where "Will" is a person's name followed by a comma—it should be avoided in all forms of writing. Instead, use correct alternatives like "is about to" for immediate actions or "will soon" for general future predictions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is about to

uses the correct auxiliary verb 'to be' instead of 'will' to indicate immediate future

is going to

uses the standard 'going to' future construction for planned actions

will soon

replaces the incorrect phrase with a simple future modal and an adverb of time

is on the verge of

provides a more formal idiomatic expression for an event that is very close to happening

is set to

implies that something is scheduled or ready to happen in the near future

is on the point of

suggests an even more immediate timeframe than 'is about to'

is just about to

adds an intensifier to emphasize the immediacy of the action

will shortly

uses a formal adverb to denote a near-future event with the modal 'will'

is preparing to

shifts the focus slightly to the preparation stage of the imminent action

is due to

implies an expected or scheduled time for the action to occur

FAQs

Is "will about to" grammatically correct?

No, it is not. The phrase "will about to" is a common error that combines two different ways of expressing the future. You should use "is about to" or "will soon" instead.

Can I use "will be about to" in a sentence?

While "will be about to" is technically possible in complex conditional or future-in-the-future contexts, it is almost always better to simplify it to "is about to".

What is the difference between "will" and "about to"?

The modal "will" indicates a general future, whereas "about to" specifically refers to something happening in the very near or immediate future.

What should I say instead of "will about to"?

Depending on your context, you can say "is going to", "is about to", or simply "will soon".