continues to play

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "continues to play" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone or something is still actively participating in an activity or role over a period of time. Example: "Despite the challenges, she continues to play a vital role in the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Your music continues to play.

The New York Times

And he continues to play with it.

The New York Times

UNESCO continues to play a complementary role.

Handbook of the Economics of Art and Culture

So technology continues to play a role.

Cornell University

That's only if Bookout continues to play.

The New York Times - Sports

Britain continues to play a major role in the world.

Independent

As the fivesome continues to play, people arrive, and banter.

The New York Times

Hopefully, going forward, Gareth continues to play for us".

The Guardian - Sport

Van Morrison continues to play "Astral Weeks" live.

The New Yorker

Ironwork continues to play an essential role in Kahnawake culture.

The New York Times

But Lord & Taylor continues to play "The Star-Spangled Banner".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "continues to play" to emphasize the ongoing nature of an action or role, especially when highlighting persistence or uninterrupted activity.

Common error

Avoid using "continues to play" in contexts where a simpler phrase like "still plays" would suffice. Overusing the longer phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or verbose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "continues to play" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the ongoing or sustained performance of an action. As Ludwig AI suggests, it emphasizes that something is actively participating or happening over a period of time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

30%

Academia

19%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "continues to play" is a versatile verb phrase used to indicate the ongoing nature of an action or role. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. With many examples from News & Media, Science, and Academia, it is clear that the phrase is very common and adaptable to various contexts. While alternatives such as "keeps playing" or "still plays" exist, "continues to play" is particularly useful when emphasizing persistence or uninterrupted activity. However, avoid overuse in simple contexts where shorter phrases would suffice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

keeps playing

Replaces "continues" with "keeps", indicating ongoing action with a slightly more informal tone.

still plays

Simplifies the phrase to emphasize the continuation of the action.

carries on playing

Indicates that the action of playing is ongoing without interruption.

persists in playing

Emphasizes the persistence or determination in the action of playing.

perseveres in playing

Indicates a continued effort to play, even in the face of challenges.

remains playing

Focuses on the state of remaining in the act of playing.

maintains playing

Highlights the maintenance of the action of playing.

continues participating in

Broadens the context to include participation in a game or activity.

proceeds to play

Suggests a sequential action, where playing follows another action.

uninterrupted playing

Transforms the verb phrase into a noun phrase, emphasizing the uninterrupted nature of the playing.

FAQs

How can I use "continues to play" in a sentence?

You can use "continues to play" to indicate that someone or something is still actively participating in an activity or role. For example: "The band "continues to play" outside of Fallon's studio."

What are some alternatives to "continues to play"?

Alternatives include "keeps playing", "still plays", or "carries on playing", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "continues to play" and "still plays"?

"Continues to play" emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action, while "still plays" simply indicates that the action is happening now as it did before. The choice depends on the desired emphasis.

When is it appropriate to use "continues to play" instead of a simpler phrase?

Use "continues to play" when you want to highlight the persistence or uninterrupted nature of the action. In simpler contexts, "still plays" may be more appropriate.