a continued pause

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a continued pause" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where a pause is not only present but is also ongoing or repeated. Example: "After a continued pause, she finally gathered the courage to speak up."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

"It's like a really organic, biological sounding rasping, but it's really nice, like krrrup, krrrup," he continued, pausing amid a tangle of wire to roll his R's.

The New York Times - Magazine

"Unfortunately we can't control society's problems," he continued, pausing for a moment before adding: "Perhaps one thing we can do is turn off the TV when all we do is see violence and hear violence".

The New York Times

"Which, by the way, is a different argument than race," Obama continued, pausing to make sure I understood.

The New York Times - Magazine

"It's great that there's a woman designing for 30-year-old women," Ms. de Rossi continued, pausing to greet Jacqueline Bisset with a kiss.

The New York Times - Style

"There's a lot more to it than baseball at 12," he continued, pausing to make sure his guys were still doing their sets of 100 crunches.

The New York Times - Style

"I was going to call it Petipaw," she continued, pausing.

The New York Times - Arts

"When most people think of Algarve, they think of beaches and hotels, not history," he continued, pausing to show off chocolates filled with local olive oil.

The New York Times - Travel

"The more serious people are on the east side," Gehrls continued, pausing in front of one of several cigarette rolling tables stationed throughout the park.

Huffington Post

"They labelled us satanists, and so," he continues, pausing for a laugh, "I am the 'satanist of Iran.' " Afterwards, Amini was hesitant about talking too much about his political views, explaining that certain people tried to paint him and his band mates as revolutionaries.

The New Yorker

"They labelled us satanists, and so," he continues, pausing for a laugh, "I am the 'satanist of Iran.' " Afterward, Amini was hesitant about talking too much about his political views, explaining that certain people tried to paint him and his band mates as revolutionaries.

The New Yorker

"I think with migrants," he continues, pausing slightly, "you can get what I would call racist sentiments developing, even among blacks and Asians".

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a continued pause" to describe a situation where an interruption or suspension of activity is not only present but also ongoing or recurrent. This emphasizes the duration or repetition of the pause, adding a layer of meaning beyond a simple, momentary stop.

Common error

Avoid using "continued pause" when the context already implies duration or repetition. For instance, saying "After a long speech, there was a continued pause" is redundant because "long speech" suggests time. Instead, use "a pause" or "a prolonged silence".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a continued pause" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject or object within a sentence. Ludwig indicates that it describes an ongoing interruption. The word “continued” is used as a adjective describing the noun “pause”.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a continued pause" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to describe an interruption or cessation that is prolonged or recurrent. Although Ludwig flags it as correct and usable, its use is relatively infrequent. The phrase can be applied in various contexts, but, as Ludwig's examples showcase, care should be taken to avoid redundancy. Alternatives like "a sustained break" or "a prolonged interruption" might offer greater precision depending on the intended nuance. While grammatically correct, consider more common alternatives for clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a lasting pause

Focuses on the duration, highlighting that the pause is enduring.

a sustained break

Emphasizes the duration and maintenance of the break, moving from the pause aspect.

a prolonged interruption

Highlights the interference aspect, suggesting something was stopped for longer.

an extended cessation

Focuses on the complete stop of an action, emphasizing its termination.

a repetitive break

Indicates that the break is occurring multiple times.

a drawn-out silence

Specific to the context of silence, it implies a lengthy period of quiet.

a recurrent lull

Indicates that the period of inactivity is happening more than once.

a lingering lull

Suggests a temporary period of inactivity that persists or is slow to end.

a repeated hesitation

Focuses specifically on the act of hesitating more than once.

a rhythmic intermission

Suggests a patterned and timed period of inactivity or break.

FAQs

How can I use "a continued pause" in a sentence?

You can use "a continued pause" to describe a situation where an interruption or suspension of activity is not only present but also ongoing. For example: "After "a dramatic pause", he continued speaking", "There was "a lasting pause" during the broadcast".

What's the difference between "a continued pause" and "a brief pause"?

"A continued pause" implies a longer or repeated interruption, whereas "a brief pause" suggests a short, momentary stop. The former emphasizes duration or recurrence, while the latter focuses on brevity.

What are some alternatives to "a continued pause"?

Alternatives include "a sustained break", "a prolonged interruption", or ""a lasting pause"", depending on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey.

Is "a continued pause" formal or informal?

"A continued pause" is generally suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in more formal settings, alternatives like "a prolonged interruption" or "a sustained break" might be preferred for their more sophisticated tone.