Hot on the heels of something/someone.

[canadalynx]

Hello.

I would like to know which variation(s) do you use normally.

1. hot on the heels...
2. close on the heels...
3. hard on the heels...

If you use one that is not on the list, please type it (up).

 

[emsr2d2]

Please give us full sentences to consider. This is always required.

 

[canadalynx]

How about this sentence "A full lockdown usually follows hot/hard/close on the heels of a serious COVID-19 outbreak.".

 

[probus]

All three seem natural to my Canadian ears, but Google Ngrams shows hard with a big lead over hot, with close a distant third.

https://books.google.com/ngrams/gra...t on the heels;,c0;.t1;,hard on the heels;,c0

 

[canadalynx]

1. hot on the heels... (Toronto area and BrE)
2. close on the heels...
3. hard on the heels...

I reiterate the question : Which variation(s) do you normally use?

 

[probus]

I can't recall ever using any of the three, but if I felt the need to do so I'd probably go with hot. I suspect it is the most common in my region, the Toronto area.

 

[emsr2d2]

"Hot on the heels of" is most common in BrE. It's certainly what I use.

 

[Skrej]

On the rare occasion I've used it, I use 'hot'. I've heard the 'hard' version, but was surprised by the Ngram results. I'm not sure if I've ever heard the 'close' version myself.

 

[jutfrank]

Google Ngrams shows hard with a big lead over hot, with close a distant third.

https://books.google.com/ngrams/gra...t on the heels;,c0;.t1;,hard on the heels;,c0

You forgot to check the 'case-insensitive' box (the initial 'c' of close is a capital), though it doesn't make much difference to the result—there's still hardly anything in it.

I'm slightly surprised to see hot not come out on top, but we have to remember that the data can skew with such a paucity of cases.

 

[Tdol]

I would use hot on the heels. (BrE speaker)