are still continual

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are still continual" is not correct in standard written English.
It is redundant because "still" and "continual" convey similar meanings of ongoing action or state. Example: "The issues we discussed are still continual, affecting our progress."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And, while much of this land is technically protected by the Indonesian, Malaysian and Brunei governments, illegal logging and uncontrolled burning are still continual threats.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

But In C is also nearly 50 years old, and Riley's life in music is still a continual search for the fundamentally spiritual qualities that he believes the art form should embody.

The Guardian - Music

This first release is a prototype designed with input from the research community and is still under continual development.

Trends in Parasitology

There is still a continual need to work with staff in the areas of listening, feedback, and conflict management.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Despite substantial quantities of manpower and money expended on these animals, it appears that at this time there is still a continual flow of animals out of ownership and into the guardianship of rescues and shelters.

BMC Veterinary Research

Although there has been continual expectation of breakthroughs, there are still no solutions.

Globalization and Health

Entertainment Weekly has perked up considerably in the last couple years under its editor, Jess Cagle, but is still engaged in a continual battle for relevance in an era when its bread and butter — the deep coverage of entertainment for fans — has been diminished by a plethora of blogs.

The New York Times

The methodology to generate iPSC is still under rapid and continual development, with alternate delivery systems being evaluated, each having potentially different immunogenic responses [ 39, 89].

Fibrogenesis and Tissue Repair

Thus, compliance with basic hygiene and/or cleaning and disinfection routines has improved but is still not complete and requires continual follow-up to ensure maximum effect.

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

A clear understanding of the mechanisms that underpin this relationship, however, is still lacking and a source of continual debate [e.g. 3] [5].

Plosone

The economic foundation of integration - its faithful workhorse - is still the internal market, whose operation requires our continual care and attention.

EU Parlament

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using both "still" and "continual" together to prevent redundancy. Choose one or the other, or rephrase to improve clarity.

Common error

Overusing adverbs and adjectives that express similar meanings can weaken your writing. For instance, instead of saying "are still continual", choose a more concise option like "are still ongoing" or "remain continual" for better impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are still continual" functions as a linking phrase attempting to describe a state of continuous existence. However, Ludwig AI indicates the construction is grammatically incorrect due to redundancy.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "are still continual" is considered grammatically incorrect due to the redundancy of "still" and "continual". Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. While the intention is to emphasize an ongoing state, the phrasing weakens the sentence. More effective alternatives include using "are still ongoing", "remain continual", or choosing other context-appropriate substitutes. Although examples appear in news and scientific sources, its infrequent and questionable usage means it's best to avoid this construction in formal or professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remain ongoing

Uses "remain" to indicate persistence, paired with "ongoing".

are consistently ongoing

Replaces "continual" with "ongoing" and emphasizes consistency.

persist continuously

Highlights the persistence of an action in a continuous manner.

are steadily ongoing

Emphasizes the steadiness and continuity of an action.

continue to be

Emphasizes the continuation of a state or action.

are always continuing

Uses "always" to emphasize uninterrupted continuation.

are perpetually happening

Uses "perpetually" for a stronger sense of continuous occurrence.

are constantly happening

Uses "constantly" to convey the uninterrupted nature of an event.

remain in effect

Focuses on the continued validity or operation of something.

continue unabated

Indicates that something persists without any reduction in intensity.

FAQs

What is wrong with using "are still continual"?

The phrase "are still continual" is considered redundant because "still" and "continual" both imply an ongoing state. Using them together doesn't add value and makes the sentence awkward.

What can I say instead of "are still continual"?

You can use alternatives like "are still ongoing" or "remain continual" depending on the intended meaning.

Which is correct, "are still continual" or "remain continual"?

"Remain continual" is generally a better choice than "are still continual" because it avoids the redundancy of "still" and "continual". However, other alternatives such as "are ongoing" might be even more concise.

How do I avoid redundancy when describing something that continues?

Choose words carefully to avoid overlapping meanings. For example, instead of "are still continual", consider options like "continue to be", "remain in effect" or "persist continuously" for clarity.