continue investigative

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "continue investigative" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to suggest ongoing investigation but lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "We need to continue our investigative efforts to uncover the truth behind the incident."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

He wants to enable journalists to continue investigative reporting in the public interest.

The Guardian

Kommersant is owned by Russian metals magnate Alisher Usmanov, but remains one of the few Russian national newspapers to continue investigative and at times critical news reporting.

The Guardian

Chris Blackhurst: 10 January The editor of The Independent told the Inquiry that he was "worried" that its outcome could curtail the industry's ability to continue investigative journalism, even though the PCC needed "substantial reform".

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"Our continuing investigative work in this case demonstrates our determination to explore all avenues even after suspects have been charged.

Independent

The role that Transocean's safety protocols played in the Deepwater Horizon accident is likely to be a focus for federal officials who are continuing investigative hearings in Houston into the cause of the disaster.

The New York Times

It does a number of things that were recommended, including the setting up this task force, which would be a continuing investigative group reporting to me.... J.F.K.: Would you have supervision over the leakage from the Department of Defense?

The New York Times

Even without the rules, continued investigative reporting on for-profit college abuses, advocacy work by pro-student organizations, and enforcement efforts by state attorneys general can help deter bad actors and protect the public from predatory schools.

Huffington Post

Mr. Kaledin said he would like to continue the investigative tradition.

The New York Times

In closing, Vaxevanis vowed to continue his investigative work and his pursuit of the truth.

Huffington Post

In one sense, the arrest of Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris this week can be seen as just the latest, albeit very high-profile, example of a continuing international investigative effort against financial abuse in Europe's political processes.

The Guardian - Opinion

The Washington Post continues an investigative series on the finances of members of Congress: Some members of Congress send tax dollars to companies, colleges and community groups where their spouses, children and parents work as salaried employees, lobbyists or board members, according to an examination of federal disclosure forms and local public records by The Washington Post.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you want to express ongoing investigative actions, use the grammatically correct phrase "continue to investigate" or a more natural alternative such as "pursue the investigation".

Common error

Avoid using adjectives directly after verbs like "continue". Instead, use the infinitive form of the verb ("continue to investigate") or rephrase the sentence to use a noun (e.g., "continue the investigation").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "continue investigative" functions incorrectly as it attempts to use the verb "continue" directly with an adjective. Grammatically, "continue" requires a noun or an infinitive verb phrase to follow it. As Ludwig AI explains, this phrase is not correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "continue investigative" is grammatically incorrect, attempting to directly link a verb with an adjective. As Ludwig AI points out, this usage deviates from standard written English. While some examples exist across various sources, including news and media, science, and encyclopedias, these instances do not validate the grammatical soundness of the phrase. To convey the intended meaning of an ongoing investigation, it is recommended to use grammatically correct alternatives such as ""continue to investigate"" or ""continue the investigation"". These options ensure clarity and adherence to established grammatical norms.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

continue to investigate

Corrects the grammar by adding 'to' before 'investigate', creating an infinitive verb phrase.

continue investigation

Changes from adjective to noun to fix the grammar, making it a verb-noun construction.

pursue investigative efforts

Replaces "continue" with "pursue" and adjusts the phrasing for better flow and grammatical correctness.

sustain investigative work

Offers a more formal tone and highlights the act of maintaining investigative actions.

proceed with investigative actions

Emphasizes the act of moving forward with the investigative steps already in place.

carry on with investigative work

Suggests a more casual continuation of investigation.

keep investigating

Simplifies the phrase to a more direct and easily understood verb phrase.

extend investigative reach

Focuses on broadening the scope of the inquiry.

escalate investigative measures

Indicates an increase in the intensity of investigative steps.

further investigative initiatives

Suggests advancing existing investigation.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "continue" with "investigative"?

The correct way to phrase it is to use "continue to investigate" or "continue the investigation". For example, "The police will "continue to investigate" the crime" or "The police will "continue the investigation"".

What are some alternatives to saying "continue investigative"?

Instead of "continue investigative", you can say ""continue to investigate"", ""continue the investigation"", or "pursue the investigation".

Is it grammatically correct to say "continue investigative"?

No, "continue investigative" is not grammatically correct. The verb "continue" requires either an infinitive verb phrase (e.g., "continue to investigate") or a noun phrase (e.g., "continue the investigation") to follow it.

What's the difference between "continue investigation" and "continue to investigate"?

"Continue investigation" is grammatically incorrect. The correct forms are ""continue the investigation"", where 'investigation' is a noun, or ""continue to investigate"", where 'to investigate' is an infinitive verb phrase.