Almost: close but not quite

The idea

Place almost before what it modifies: almost ready, almost an hour, or almost forgot. In almost all, it refers to a number close to the whole.

Examples

• The food is almost ready.
• I almost missed the bus.
• Almost all the chairs are taken.
• She has almost finished the letter.
• We waited almost an hour.
• He almost forgot her name.

Watch out

Almost missed the bus means the speaker came close to missing it; it does not say the bus was missed.

Try it yourself

1. The food is nearly ready, but not quite. Choose the word. The food is nearly ready, but not quite; it is ___ ready. (almost / completely)

   Show answer or example answer

   almost

   Almost says the food is nearly ready.

2. The wait lasted 58 minutes. Choose the word. We waited 58 minutes: we waited ___ an hour. (almost / exactly)

   Show answer or example answer

   almost

   Almost places the waiting time close to one hour.

3. The speaker caught the bus just in time. Choose the word. I caught the bus just in time; I ___ missed it. (almost / definitely)

   Show answer or example answer

   almost

   Almost missed means the bus was nearly missed.

Use it today

Describe something almost finished and a journey that took almost an hour.