continued to reduce

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "continued to reduce" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing an ongoing process of decreasing something over time. Example: "The company continued to reduce its carbon emissions year after year, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

And most worrying to many analysts, businesses continued to reduce investment spending plans.

The New York Times

Consumers have continued to reduce spending because of concerns about rising unemployment.

The New York Times

Troubles in the housing and credit markets continued to reduce demand for vehicles.

The New York Times

The company continued to reduce its operating costs, which fell 4.3 percent, to $528.8 million.

The New York Times

The report also said consumers remained price conscious as they continued to reduce their debts.

The New York Times

Under court oversight, Kodak continued to reduce costs, businesses and workers.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

This continues to reduce prices at the pump.

The Economist

We're going to continue to reduce welfare in New York City more than anyplace else.

The New York Times

To boost their profits, auditing firms continue to reduce time budgets.

The Guardian - Opinion

It now has 5,500 pubs and continues to reduce its estate.

The Guardian - Business

"Twitter continues to reduce friction between many services," said Biz Stone, a founder.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "continued to reduce", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being reduced and the timeframe over which the reduction is occurring. For example, specify "continued to reduce costs" or "continued to reduce emissions over the past year."

Common error

Avoid assuming that because something "continued to reduce", it was necessarily due to a specific action. Correlation does not equal causation. Ensure you have evidence to support any claims about the cause of the reduction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "continued to reduce" functions as a verb phrase, indicating an ongoing action of decreasing something. According to Ludwig, it signifies a process that was already in motion and persisted over time. The examples illustrate its use across diverse subjects, from economic trends to scientific observations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

29%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "continued to reduce" is a versatile verb phrase used to describe an ongoing process of decreasing something. Ludwig AI affirms its grammatical correctness and its frequent appearance in diverse contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias. The phrase suggests that an action of reduction was already in progress and persisted over a period. While using "continued to reduce", clarity is key. Specify what is being reduced and over what timeframe. Avoid jumping to conclusions about causation; ensure you have solid evidence to support any claims of cause and effect. Related phrases like ""kept decreasing"" or ""persisted in lowering"" offer alternatives, each with slight nuances in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

kept decreasing

Replaces "continued" with "kept", implying a consistent action of decreasing.

persisted in lowering

Substitutes "continued to" with "persisted in", adding a sense of determination or effort in lowering something.

consistently diminished

Replaces "continued to reduce" with "consistently diminished", emphasizing a steady and gradual decrease.

sustained a decline

Replaces the active voice with a passive construction, focusing on the decline itself being sustained.

maintained a reduction

Focuses on the reduction being maintained over time.

progressively lessened

Emphasizes the gradual nature of the lessening.

steadily curtailed

Replaces "reduce" with "curtailed", suggesting a deliberate and controlled reduction.

incessantly shrunk

Implies a non-stop process of reduction.

uninterruptedly lessened

Highlights the continuous and unbroken nature of the lessening.

systematically decreased

Replaces "continued to reduce" with "systematically decreased", indicating a planned or methodical reduction.

FAQs

How can I use "continued to reduce" in a sentence?

You can use "continued to reduce" to describe an ongoing process of decreasing something. For example, "The company "continued to reduce" its debt" or "The government "continued to reduce" spending on public services".

What are some alternatives to "continued to reduce"?

Some alternatives to "continued to reduce" include "kept decreasing", "persisted in lowering", or "consistently diminished", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "continues to reduce" instead of "continued to reduce"?

Yes, "continues to reduce" is correct, but it implies the action is happening in the present. "Continued to reduce" is used for past actions that occurred over a period of time.

What's the difference between "continued to reduce" and "started to reduce"?

"Continued to reduce" implies an ongoing action of reducing that was already in progress, while "started to reduce" indicates the beginning of a reduction process.