are being designed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are being designed" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe an ongoing process of creation or development, often in the context of products, systems, or plans. Example: "The new software features are being designed to enhance user experience and improve functionality."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

So if books jackets are being designed by a combination of authors and focus groups, whither designers?

The Guardian - Books

But new attacks are being designed.

The New York Times

Both are being designed by William Nicholas Bodouva & Associates.

The New York Times

Many new plant varieties are being designed for industrial uses.

The New Yorker

Rockets, spacecraft and other hardware are being designed and built.

The Guardian - Opinion

Policies are being designed to help borrowers, not creditors.

The Economist

Printers, too, are being designed with ergonomics in mind.

The Guardian - Tech

"Increasingly, products are being designed with recycling in mind.

The Economist

Computer games are being designed just for girls.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

And are being designed to accommodate older people.

Cornell University

New SEMSs are being designed to overcome this drawback.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing future plans or projects, consider pairing "are being designed" with a timeframe or goal to provide context. For instance, "New features are being designed for the next quarter."

Common error

Don't use "are being designed" to describe something whose design has already been completed. Instead, use "were designed" or "have been designed" to indicate a finished state.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are being designed" functions as a passive construction in the present continuous tense. It indicates that the subject is undergoing the action of being designed by an unspecified agent. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use across diverse subjects, from computer games to spacecraft.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Wiki

5%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "are being designed" is a very common and grammatically correct phrase used to describe ongoing design processes. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is to indicate present, continuous action in a passive voice. It appears most frequently in news, science, and academic contexts, maintaining a neutral register suitable for professional communication. Remember to use this phrase when describing something currently under development and avoid using it for finished designs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are currently being designed

Adds emphasis on the present time.

are in the process of being designed

More verbose, stressing the ongoing nature of the designing activity.

are being developed

Replaces "designed" with a broader term indicating progress or advancement.

are being created

Focuses on the act of bringing something new into existence, instead of focusing on the planning phase.

are under development

Shifts the focus to the state of being worked on, rather than the specific action of designing.

are in the design phase

Highlights the specific stage of the process.

are being planned

Emphasizes the initial stages of outlining and strategizing, differing from detailed designing.

are being conceptualized

Focuses on the formation of initial ideas or concepts.

are being engineered

Highlights a more technical and precise approach to designing.

are being formulated

Emphasizes the systematic development of a plan or strategy.

FAQs

How can I use "are being designed" in a sentence?

The phrase "are being designed" indicates an ongoing process of creation. For example, "The new user interfaces "are being designed" with accessibility in mind."

What are some alternatives to "are being designed"?

You can use phrases like "are being developed", "are under development", or "are in the design phase" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "is being designed" instead of "are being designed"?

No, "is being designed" should be used with singular subjects, while "are being designed" is for plural subjects. For example, "The application is being designed" versus "The applications are being designed".

What is the difference between "are being designed" and "will be designed"?

"Are being designed" refers to an ongoing design process in the present, while "will be designed" refers to a design process that will occur in the future. For example, "The prototypes "are being designed" now" versus "The prototypes "will be designed" next month".