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Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
congress was held
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "congress was held" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a formal meeting or assembly of a legislative body took place. Example: "The annual congress was held in Washington, D.C., where various policies were discussed and voted on."
✓ Grammatically correct
News & Media
Encyclopedias
Wiki
Science
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
33 human-written examples
The armed mediation of Austria induced Napoleon to agree to an armistice, during which a congress was held at Prague.
Encyclopedias
Still, the mood in the conference room where the congress was held bordered on the euphoric at times.
News & Media
But that is the exception, and during the last leadership change in 2002, the Congress was held in November.
News & Media
For several years Czechs had been attracted by the Pan-Slav movement, and in July 1908 a Pan-Slav congress was held in Prague (see Pan-Slavism).
Encyclopedias
In response, an extraordinary party congress was held in August 2015, and Le Pen was formally expelled from the National Front.
Encyclopedias
A second Congress was held in Rome and Naples in 1953, and from that time regular meetings occurred at two- or three-year intervals.
Encyclopedias
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
27 human-written examples
If the congress were held in Egypt or Jordan, the authorities there could have undue influence over who attended and what was concluded.
News & Media
Every four years a congress is held by the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses, a body that is maintained by the transport ministries of its member countries and by groups representing the highway-construction industry.
Encyclopedias
Bill Clinton has been touted.Residents of Vieques, an island part of Puerto Rico, vote on evicting the American navy from a base there.Muslims begin fasting for the month of Ramadan.A European banking congress is held in Frankfurt.
News & Media
The Royal College of Nursing's annual congress, being held this week, has proved an embarrassing assignment for the coalition's health secretary, though amusing for many others, in each of the past two years.
News & Media
The congress is held every five years and is a platform to announce party policies and personnel changes in the party leadership.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Ensure that the context clearly indicates what "congress" refers to, especially if it's not immediately obvious to the reader.
Common error
Avoid using present or future tenses when describing a congress that has already taken place. For example, don't say "the congress is held", when you mean the congress already took place.
Source & Trust
81%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "congress was held" functions as a statement of fact, indicating that a meeting or assembly of a congress took place. As per Ludwig, this is a correct and usable phrase. It is commonly used in a passive voice to describe a completed event.
Frequent in
News & Media
30%
Encyclopedias
25%
Wiki
22%
Less common in
Science
18%
Formal & Business
3%
Academia
2%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, the phrase "congress was held" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to indicate that a congress took place. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, ranging from news reports to academic papers. While synonyms like "congress convened" or "congress took place" can offer variety, it's important to maintain consistency in tense and clarity in context. The phrase is commonly found in news and media, encyclopedias, and wiki sources, reflecting its widespread applicability.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
the congress took place
Replaces the passive voice with an active construction using "took place".
the congress convened
Substitutes "was held" with the more formal verb "convened", suggesting an official assembly.
the congress occurred
Uses "occurred" in place of "was held", offering a slightly less formal alternative.
the congress transpired
Replaces "was held" with "transpired", implying that the event unfolded or happened.
the meeting was conducted
Focuses on the act of conducting a meeting, suitable when emphasizing the process.
the conference was carried out
Emphasizes the execution or completion of the conference.
the session was conducted
Replaces congress with session. Emphasizes that session has been carried out.
the gathering was organized
Highlights the organizational aspect of the gathering.
the summit took place
Uses summit instead of congress. Highlighting that summit took place.
the forum convened
Uses forum instead of congress. Highlighting that forum has been convened.
FAQs
What's a more formal way to say "congress was held"?
You can use more formal alternatives such as "the congress convened" or "the congress took place". These options offer a more professional tone.
What can I say instead of "congress was held" to emphasize the location?
You could say "the congress was hosted in [location]" or "the congress took place in [location]" to highlight the venue.
How do I use "congress was held" in a sentence?
Is it correct to say "congress is held"?
The phrase "congress is held" is grammatically correct, but it is used to refer to congresses that are regularly scheduled. In contrast, "congress was held" is in the past and refers to something that already happened. Choose based on the timeline you want to communicate.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
81%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested