continued

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "continued" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that something is continuing or has been extended further. For example: "They continued their conversation over dinner."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

The Guardian

The New York Times

The Economist

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The prime minister, Tony Abbott, said the government was "carefully studying" the judgment to determine an appropriate response, but he strongly signalled his determination to find a way to ensure the chaplaincy program continued.

The Guardian

The gap between rich and poor has continued to widen.

The Economist

To be continued.

The New York Times

The energy-bar maker cut financial support for the athletes but continued to promote the film.

The Guardian

Despite the extraordinary welling up of outrage around the Davis execution, prisoners have continued to be executed steadily over the past 12 months.

The Guardian

His task will be similar to the one Edberg encountered with Federer, helping him to understand he would have to accept being passed at the net because if he continued to do it correctly, it would pay off when the pressure was ramped up later in the match.

The Guardian - Sport

In his off-duty hours, he continued to paint and draw and new dealers began to take more interest in his work.

The Guardian - Arts

There they abandoned the Steyr and continued on foot, sleeping in the forest and taking turns to keep watch.

The Guardian

"I wouldn't characterise all those people [ABC interviewers] as leftist – that's far too strong a term," he continued.

The Guardian

Low-level fighting has continued in the region despite a February ceasefire.

The Guardian

Since all it takes for evil to prevail is one good seven-year-old to do nothing, I continued to crack the case wide open: "And what about the tooth fairy?" I got up to tell my sister, but was waylaid by an adult offering me chocolate cake in exchange for my silence.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "continued" to maintain a consistent tone when describing ongoing processes or actions in reports or narratives.

Common error

Vary your language to prevent repetition and maintain reader engagement. Use synonyms such as "persisted", "carried on", or "maintained" to add nuance and stylistic flair to your writing.

Linguistic Context

The word "continued" primarily functions as a verb, often in the past tense, to indicate the persistence or prolongation of an action or state. It highlights the ongoing nature of events as illustrated by Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "continued" serves as a verb indicating the persistence or prolongation of an action. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is grammatically correct and highly versatile across various contexts. Predominantly found in news and media, as well as formal and business settings, its neutral tone allows for broad applicability. When using "continued", it's advisable to maintain a consistent tone in writing and consider using synonyms to avoid repetition. The diverse usage of "continued" in examples, paired with its semantic clarity, establishes it as a strong linguistic resource.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

went on

A more casual way of saying something kept happening.

carried on

Emphasizes the act of proceeding without interruption.

persisted

Highlights the determination to maintain a course of action despite difficulties.

proceeded

Formally indicates moving forward after a certain point.

endured

Implies a prolonged continuation, often through hardship.

maintained

Implies steady continuation at the same level or standard.

sustained

Highlights the ability to support or uphold something over time.

extended

Suggests making something longer in duration or scope.

retained

Focuses on keeping something in its current state or condition.

resumed

Indicates a restart after a pause or interruption.

FAQs

How can I use "continued" in a sentence?

You can use "continued" to describe an action or state that has extended over a period. For example, "The meeting "continued" for another hour" or "Despite the setbacks, the project "continued" to progress".

What are some alternatives to the word "continued"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "persisted", "carried on", or "maintained" to avoid repetition and add variety to your writing.

Is there a difference between "continued" and "continuous"?

"Continued" implies that something was interrupted and then resumed, or that it extended beyond a certain point. "Continuous", on the other hand, means without interruption, a constant state.

When is it appropriate to use "continued" in formal writing?

"Continued" is appropriate in formal writing when describing ongoing processes, developments, or states that have persisted over time. For example, "The investigation "continued" despite the lack of new evidence".