a long procedure

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a long procedure" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a process or series of steps that takes a significant amount of time to complete. Example: "The application process for the visa is a long procedure that requires multiple documents and interviews."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The drawback of ESD is its technical difficulty, which, consequently, is associated with a higher rate of complication and which requires advanced endoscopic techniques and a long procedure time.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Then, we followed a long procedure of manual verification and correction of the transcriptions.

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

"Before 13 August, people from East Berlin could, after getting permission through a long procedure, come to West Berlin to visit relatives.

BBC

"Erasmus MC regrets that after a long procedure there is no ruling on the merits and remains convinced that for strictly fundamental research, an export license is not needed," an Erasmus MC press officer said in an email to ScienceInsider.

Science Magazine

Esophageal adenocarcinoma development experiences a long procedure through a multi-step sequence of metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma.

British Journal of Cancer

The bacteriologic diagnosis is a long procedure (at least 4 days) and, in this epidemic context, RDT contributed to the effectiveness of the response.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Surgery was carried out on a mouse anaesthetized using isoflurane (Abbott, North Chicago, IL, USA) gas anesthesia (3% induction dose and 2% initial maintenance dose (in 95% O2, 5%CO2), gradually reduced over a ∼3 hr long procedure).

eLife

This is therefore the outcome of a long legislative procedure that ended with a difficult and improbable conciliation procedure, such was the resistance shown by the Member States.

EU Parlament

This consisted of a 3-step, 6-hour long procedure.

Cardiovascular Diabetology

In terms of advantages, in contrast to other perinatal stem cell sources such as umbilical cord, establishment of primary UCBMSC cultures does not lead to a relatively high-cost and long procedure based in enzymatic digestion or explant methods.

BioMed Research International

Determination of who is owed what figures to be a long, tedious procedure, with arbitrators possibly becoming involved in the process.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a procedure, specify the reasons why it's "a long procedure". For instance, mention the number of steps involved, the complexity of each step, or the expertise required.

Common error

Avoid using the passive voice when describing "a long procedure". Instead of saying "The procedure was thought to be long", say "The experts considered the procedure to be long". This adds clarity and strength to your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a long procedure" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "long" modifies the noun "procedure". It describes a process or series of actions that requires a significant amount of time. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

30%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

8%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a long procedure" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase that effectively conveys the duration of a process. Ludwig indicates its correctness, and examples from various sources highlight its common usage across contexts such as science, news, and academia. While alternatives like "a lengthy process" or "a time consuming procedure" exist, the best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. By understanding the best practices and avoiding common errors, you can use the phrase effectively in your writing. The term has a neutral register, and by understanding the register you will correctly use the phrase in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a lengthy process

Replaces "procedure" with "process" and "long" with "lengthy", emphasizing the duration.

a drawn-out process

Uses "drawn-out" to describe a process that is unnecessarily long.

a time-consuming process

Directly focuses on the aspect of consuming time.

a protracted procedure

Replaces "long" with "protracted", indicating an extended duration.

an extended procedure

Uses "extended" to highlight the increased duration of the procedure.

a prolonged process

Similar to "extended" but emphasizes the continuation of the process over time.

a tedious process

Highlights the boring and time-consuming aspects of the procedure.

a complex and lengthy procedure

Adds the aspect of complexity to the description of the procedure.

a multistep process

Focuses on the many steps involved, implying a longer duration.

a cumbersome process

Highlights the difficulty and slowness of the procedure.

FAQs

How can I replace "a long procedure" in my writing?

Alternatives include "a lengthy process", "a protracted procedure", or "a time-consuming process", depending on the specific aspect you want to emphasize.

What makes a procedure qualify as "a long procedure"?

A procedure qualifies as "a long procedure" if it requires a significant amount of time to complete, involves many steps, or demands specialized expertise. The perception of 'long' is relative to other procedures in a similar context.

Is it better to say "a long procedure" or "a lengthy procedure"?

Both phrases are correct, but "a lengthy procedure" might emphasize the duration more directly. The choice depends on the context and desired emphasis.

Can "a long procedure" have negative connotations?

Yes, if the length of the procedure is unnecessary or causes inconvenience. In such cases, alternatives like "a drawn-out procedure" might be more appropriate to convey the frustration or inefficiency.