causing a delay

USAGE SUMMARY

"causing a delay" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is preventing a task or event from happening or finishing on time. For example, "The sudden thunderstorm caused a delay in the game."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This indicates that the phenotypic overlap between MMP-13 and uPA causing a delay in wound healing also causes a delayed turnover of the epidermis posthealing.

Plosone

A replacement was ordered, causing a delay.

The New Yorker

It is frequently misdiagnosed as bacterial keratitis, causing a delay in proper treatment.

Biomaterials

Unfortunately, a further error occurred with her credit card application, which resulted in it being re-input, causing a delay.

The Guardian - Money

Fell at Cheltenham in January for the second time in three visits here, causing a delay in his preparation.

The Guardian - Sport

Crucailly, all this number crunching takes time, causing a delay before the camera is ready to shoot again.

The Economist

The 49ers' involvement, rather than causing a delay with Smith, might also reflect the state of negotiations.

The New York Times

Depending on tissue size and location they can harvest a landscape of nonspecific symptoms, causing a delay in diagnosis.

Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology

This may take a few minutes.\n" // number of times fadvance was called, causing a delay in the readout of the recorded variable.

Yale University

Planes roared, thunder boomed and the public address system crackled like gunfire, its startling blasts causing a delay minutes before the rain began pouring down.

The New York Times - Sports

The race had begun under the safety car in heavy rain and was red-flagged after two laps causing a delay of 20 minutes.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "causing a delay", ensure the subject clearly identifies what is creating the delay. For instance, "The heavy traffic is causing a delay in deliveries."

Common error

Avoid using "causing a delay" without specifying the cause of the delay. For instance, instead of saying "There was something causing a delay", specify what it was: "A technical issue was causing a delay".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "causing a delay" functions as a gerund phrase, often serving as the subject or part of the predicate in a sentence. It describes an action that is the reason for something being late or postponed, as confirmed by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

40%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "causing a delay" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to identify what is responsible for a postponement or slowdown. As Ludwig AI confirms, this gerund phrase is widely used across various contexts, particularly in news and scientific reporting. To improve clarity, it’s best practice to specify the cause of the delay, and avoid using vague or ambiguous language. Alternatives like "resulting in a delay" or "leading to a postponement" offer similar meanings with slightly different emphasis. Overall, "causing a delay" is a versatile and effective phrase for describing factors that hinder progress.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

resulting in a delay

Focuses on the outcome or consequence being a delay.

leading to a postponement

Highlights the eventual act of postponing something.

creating a setback

Emphasizes the hindering aspect of the situation.

hindering progress

Directly addresses the obstruction of advancement.

impeding advancement

A more formal way of saying hindering progress.

slowing down the process

Highlights the deceleration aspect of the delay.

putting things behind schedule

Focuses on the temporal aspect of falling behind.

holding up proceedings

Indicates a temporary halt in an activity.

disrupting the timeline

Stresses the disturbance to the planned schedule.

stalling the project

Implies an intentional or unintentional pause in the project.

FAQs

How can I use "causing a delay" in a sentence?

You can use "causing a delay" to describe something that is preventing a task or event from happening or finishing on time. For example, "The unexpected rain was "causing a delay" in the construction schedule".

What are some alternatives to "causing a delay"?

Alternatives include "resulting in a delay", "leading to a postponement", or "creating a setback", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "cause a delay" or "causing a delay"?

Both "cause a delay" and "causing a delay" are grammatically correct, but they serve different functions. "Cause a delay" is an imperative or infinitive, while "causing a delay" is a gerund phrase that acts as a noun or part of a continuous verb form.

What's the difference between "causing a delay" and "resulting in a delay"?

"Causing a delay" emphasizes the action that initiates the delay, while "resulting in a delay" focuses on the outcome or consequence. For example, "The accident was "causing a delay"" focuses on the accident's action, whereas "The accident was "resulting in a delay"" highlights the outcome of the accident.