Many times I have heard it while natives are speaking, specially Americans. I can not recall the contexts, perhaps they are very fast speaking. I wonder if any body here could give some hints in some contexts and provide some authentic examples they use in their speech evey day.
Many thanks in advance.
Learn English – Wondering what the expression ” I am about to”
word-meaning
Best Answer
Be about [to VP] is a semi-modal expression, like be going [to VP] or be able [to VP]. It signifies that VP is expected to happen in the very near future, and that the discourse concerns that expectation. How near will depend on context.
ADDED:
As Bob Rodes points out, about here has the sense, “nearly, almost”. In other contexts it acts as an adverb: I am about ready = “I am almost ready”; but in the idiom be about [to VERB] it cannot be paraphrased this way: *I am almost to go is not English. And in the idiom it never has other main sense of about = “approximately, around”.