a sustained discussion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a sustained discussion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to an ongoing or prolonged conversation or dialogue about a particular topic. Example: "The conference featured a sustained discussion on climate change and its impact on global policies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

A sustained debate about the role of the ICC will hopefully lead to a sustained discussion about the need to strengthen domestic and regional legal systems, which would make recourse to The Hague unnecessary.

Huffington Post

It would make for a great campaign if our nation had a sustained discussion around these ideas.

The Washington Post

It contributed to sparking a sustained discussion about the importance of girls' education and the best ways to encourage greater female school access, persistence, achievement across many countries.

Unicef

That is why the party leader needs to lead a sustained discussion, not just inside but outside the party, about why support for Labour fell by a third from 13.5 million in 1997 to 8.5 million in 2010, and what can be done about it.

The Guardian - Opinion

Rather than mounting a sustained discussion of Jews and slavery, Rosen plays out his argument piecemeal, at times leaving the reader with contradictory notions.

The New York Times - Books

This dissertation offers a sustained discussion and critique of mid-century high-modernist formalism, raising the stakes of our understanding of this foundational discourse for modern music theory by showing its historical situatedness, contentious status even for the practitioners involved, and what claims it may still make on our own musical imaginations.

Columbia University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

With time running out before the election, it remains to be seen whether the public will hear any sustained discussion about the two candidates views on health care, even though the voters stakes in the outcome are enormous.

Princeton University

Perhaps the absence of any sustained discussion in the campaign should be of little surprise: Mr. Obama is haunted by seemingly reasonable assumptions made in 2009 about how the troop increase would turn out, almost all of which turned out to be off the mark.

The New York Times

And to studiously avoid any sustained discussion about whether the depicted newspaper is, in all respects, capturing the meaningful narrative of the depicted city?

Huffington Post

The initiative is the "beginning of an ongoing, sustained discussion about what it is the public relations industry does," he added.

The New York Times

So we get a snippet on the General Strike but no sustained discussion of Sitwell's politics.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a sustained discussion", ensure the context clearly indicates the topic being discussed. This helps avoid ambiguity and provides a clear focus for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "a sustained discussion" without specifying the subject matter. Without a clear topic, the phrase becomes generic and lacks impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a sustained discussion" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It signifies a prolonged and in-depth conversation or exchange of ideas, as supported by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a sustained discussion" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a prolonged and thorough conversation or debate. While Ludwig identifies it as correct and usable, its frequency is classified as uncommon. It appears across various contexts, including news, academia, and science, indicating its versatility. Related phrases like ""an extended debate"" or ""a prolonged conversation"" can be used as alternatives to add nuance. When employing this phrase, it's best practice to clearly specify the topic of discussion to avoid vagueness. Remember that this phrase can be adapted to formal and informal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an extended debate

Replaces "discussion" with "debate", emphasizing a more formal and potentially contentious exchange.

a prolonged conversation

Substitutes "discussion" with "conversation", highlighting the informal aspect of the exchange.

an ongoing dialogue

Replaces "sustained discussion" with "ongoing dialogue", emphasizing the continuous nature of the exchange.

a continuous exchange of ideas

Replaces "discussion" with "exchange of ideas", highlighting the sharing of thoughts.

a comprehensive analysis

Shifts the focus to a detailed examination rather than a conversation.

an in-depth exploration

Emphasizes a thorough investigation rather than a conversational exchange.

a thorough examination

Focuses on a complete and detailed inspection.

a lengthy deliberation

Replaces "discussion" with "deliberation", highlighting a more formal and thoughtful consideration.

a continuing discourse

Replaces "discussion" with "discourse", suggesting a more structured and academic conversation.

a persistent inquiry

Highlights the investigative aspect of the discussion, implying a continuous search for information.

FAQs

How can I use "a sustained discussion" in a sentence?

You can use "a sustained discussion" to describe a prolonged conversation or debate about a specific topic. For example, "The conference featured "a sustained discussion" on climate change."

What are some alternatives to "a sustained discussion"?

Alternatives include "an extended debate", "a prolonged conversation", or "an ongoing dialogue", depending on the context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "sustained discussion" or "ongoing discussion"?

Both "sustained discussion" and "ongoing discussion" are correct, but they emphasize different aspects. "Sustained" highlights the duration and intensity, while "ongoing" emphasizes the continuous nature. Choose the one that best fits the context.

Can "a sustained discussion" be formal or informal?

The phrase "a sustained discussion" can be used in both formal and informal contexts. The level of formality depends more on the setting and the topic of the discussion rather than the phrase itself.