an ongoing task

USAGE SUMMARY

"an ongoing task" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is continuing for an extended amount of time and is unfinished or not yet completed. For example: "I'm trying to finish all of my college assignments, but it's an ongoing task."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

This is an ongoing task.

The New Yorker

Some managers do this when they start a new role, but it's an ongoing task as people, charities and circumstances change.

The Guardian

Like trail volunteers across the country, North Conway riders volunteer hundreds of hours each year maintaining trails and negotiating access, an ongoing task.

The New York Times - Travel

The discussions closed to the media covered evergreen subjects like Strategies for the Age of Speed: Reinvention as an Ongoing Task as well as pressing concerns like Internet Valuations: How High?

The New York Times

Ensuring equal pay is an ongoing task, Salesforce has found.

TechCrunch

"Shaping our portfolio," he averred, "is an ongoing task".

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

18 human-written examples

Thus, the results of laboratory studies showing smaller age differences in prospective memory when younger adults are given a difficult ongoing task and older adults are given an easy ongoing task have no ecological validity and are merely an exercise in academic discourse.

Plosone

Prevention of external fixation pin track infection is a complex and ongoing task that requires attention to detail, meticulous surgical technique and constant vigilance.

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

More surprisingly, within a multi-task environment redundant signals may actually be disruptive: Wickens and colleagues (Seagull, Wickens, & Loeb, 2001; Wickens & Gosney, 2003) have reported evidence that redundant audio-visual target presentation in a monitoring task can disrupt performance in an ongoing tracking task.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Moreover, a close inspection of Einstein et al.'s method section reveals that these two experiments did not include a delay between the prospective memory instructions and the start of the ongoing task, a condition considered necessary for the task to allow assessment of prospective memory rather than vigilance [1], [7], [21], [22].

Plosone

The interpretation of the structural properties and complexity of the applied measures in detail, is a challenging and still ongoing task [ 27].

Biology Direct

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "an ongoing task", ensure the context clearly indicates what the task entails and why it is continuous. Provide specific details to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "an ongoing task" as a generic placeholder. Always specify the nature of the task and its importance to maintain clarity and engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an ongoing task" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject complement or object of a sentence. As Ludwig AI indicates, it describes an activity that is currently in progress and expected to continue.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

30%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "an ongoing task" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to describe activities that are continuously in progress. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. Predominantly found in science, news media, and formal business contexts, this phrase serves to inform and emphasize the continuous nature of a particular activity. When employing this phrase, it is best practice to ensure contextual clarity to avoid ambiguity. While various alternatives exist, such as "a continuous endeavor" or "a sustained operation", the choice depends on the specific nuance intended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a continuous endeavor

Replaces "task" with "endeavor", implying a more significant and sustained effort.

a continuing responsibility

Substitutes "task" with "responsibility", highlighting the element of duty.

an unremitting effort

Emphasizes the persistence and intensity of the activity, using stronger adjectives.

a perpetual activity

Focuses on the ceaseless nature of the activity, suggesting it never truly ends.

a sustained operation

Implies a more organized and systematic effort, suitable for business or military contexts.

a never-ending process

Highlights the lack of a defined conclusion to the task.

an evolving project

Suggests the task is dynamic and changes over time.

a constant challenge

Emphasizes the difficulty and demanding nature of the task.

a routine maintenance

Implies the task is a regular and somewhat mundane part of operations.

a standing order

Indicates a task that is always in effect and requires continuous attention.

FAQs

How can I use "an ongoing task" in a sentence?

You can use "an ongoing task" to describe something that is continually in progress. For example, "Maintaining the website is "an ongoing task" that requires daily attention".

What are some alternatives to "an ongoing task"?

Alternatives include "a continuous endeavor", "a continuing responsibility", or "a sustained operation", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "ongoing task" or "continuing task"?

"Ongoing task" is generally more common and natural-sounding. While "continuing task" is also grammatically correct, "ongoing" often implies a more integrated and inherent part of a process.

What's the difference between "an ongoing task" and "a project"?

While both involve work, ""an ongoing task"" suggests a routine or continuous activity, whereas "a project" typically has a defined start and end date with specific goals.