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soon-2
Definition:
Used with noun phrases referring to events or people to mean ‘about to happen or arrive’; ‘immediately following’. Primarily found in the construction “to be soon to”.
Pronunciation & Stress:
(Received Pronunciation) IPA: /suːn/ (stress on the single syllable)
(General American) IPA: /sun/
Morphology:
Comparative: sooner
Superlative: soonest
Grammar Notes:
- Always used predicatively in the construction “to be soon to + verb”. Cannot be used attributively before a noun in this specific meaning.
- Historically the adjective form (“a soon resolution”) is now rare outside of specific dialects like US dialectal use.
Interesting Facts:
- The modern usage “soon to happen” evolved from the Old English sense of “immediately, at once”, emphasizing rapid succession from the present moment.
- Its origins trace back to Proto-Indo-European demonstrative pronouns (*só), meaning it originally contained a sense of “that which is near in time”.
Learning Tips:
- Associate it strongly with the structure “be soon to”. Think: “soon = no more waiting”.
- Contrast it with quickly (focusing on duration) or immediately (focusing on time zero) to clarify that “soon” focuses on the near future relative to now.
Examples:
Simple: The movie will begin soon.
Medium: The ship is soon to arrive from Australia.
Complex: He knew he was soon to face the music.
Related Terms:
Synonyms: shortly, shortly thereafter, ahead of time, soon after
Common Word Combinations: see you soon, soon after, not long soon, too soon, wait for it… soon!
Mini-Task:
- Make a sentence: Describe an event you are looking forward to using “to be soon to”.
- Find a Synonym: Look up a synonym for “soon” and list three.
- Identify the Form: Is “soon” used as an adjective, adverb, or part of a construction here: “We will soon be there”? Why?
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