could be ongoing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "could be ongoing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or process that may continue or persist over time. Example: "The investigation into the matter could be ongoing, depending on the findings of the initial report."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

"However, sea-level changes and strong currents may occur along all coasts," it said, warning that larges swells arriving between five minutes and one hour could be ongoing.

The Guardian

But the company will continue to pay out excess cash to shareholders going forward - so this buyback scheme could be ongoing.

The Guardian - Business

It is essential that we determine exactly where the breakdown in protocol occurred and whether similar activities could be ongoing at other federal facilities," wrote Smith in an accompanying press release.

Science Magazine

These could be ongoing issues you have tried to avoid resolving.

Huffington Post

When secret agencies are involved, and especially when they are as pivotal as they were in Benghazi, public explanations can be treacherous, and officials will go out of their way to avoid exposing the agency's role, especially if the operations could be ongoing.

Huffington Post

One plausible explanation could be ongoing stress exposure or new stressors during the course of illness and rehabilitation.

BMC Psychiatry

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

In the Bishan St 24 and the Serangoon Ave 2 clusters, DENV-positive mosquitoes were detected beyond the period of reported transmission, suggesting that active transmission could still be ongoing despite no additional reporting of cases.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

With this model, different substances were tested for their neuroprotective activity, and work on how prion degradation could be influenced is ongoing.

Arthritis Research and Therapy

It made me realize this could be an ongoing process".

The New York Times

That something could be the ongoing European debt crisis, a deepening recession in the United States — or even a shift in which a new political party takes the helm.

The New York Times

One of the reasons for this could be the ongoing struggle between Amazon and Apple.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "could be ongoing" to describe situations where the continuation is uncertain but plausible. For example, "Negotiations could be ongoing behind closed doors."

Common error

Avoid using "could be ongoing" when the continuation is already confirmed or highly probable. Opt for phrases like "is continuing" or "remains in progress" for greater clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "could be ongoing" functions as a modal verb phrase, expressing possibility combined with the continuous aspect. It suggests that an action or state may still be in progress. As shown by Ludwig, this phrase presents an action as potentially continuing.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Science

56%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "could be ongoing" is a grammatically correct and usable modal verb phrase, employed to express uncertainty about the continuation of a process or situation. As confirmed by Ludwig, it carries a neutral tone suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and business. While similar phrases exist, such as "might be continuing" and "may be in progress", it's essential to use it appropriately, avoiding overuse when the continuation is already confirmed. The sources indicate the phrase is more frequent in scientific and news contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

might be continuing

Replaces "could" with "might", offering a slightly weaker degree of possibility while retaining the sense of continuation.

may be in progress

Substitutes "could" with "may", suggesting possibility, and "ongoing" with "in progress", focusing on the action underway.

might still be happening

Emphasizes the potential for the event to still be occurring, adding a sense of immediacy.

may still be underway

Similar to "might still be happening" but using "underway" to highlight the process aspect.

possibly continuing

Focuses on the potential continuation using the adverb "possibly".

potentially in effect

Shifts the focus to the potential for something to remain in effect, implying a rule or system.

conceivably still active

Uses "conceivably" to suggest a lower probability and "still active" to emphasize the current state.

potentially being maintained

Focuses on the potential that something is being actively maintained or kept in operation.

possibly in effect

Similar to "potentially in effect", but with a slight shift in emphasis towards possibility over potential.

might be protracted

Suggests the possibility of something lasting longer than expected.

FAQs

How can I use "could be ongoing" in a sentence?

Use "could be ongoing" to suggest that a process, activity, or situation might still be happening or continuing. For example, "The investigation "could be ongoing" despite the lack of recent updates."

What are some alternatives to "could be ongoing"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "might be continuing", "may be in progress", or "might still be happening" to convey a similar meaning.

When is it appropriate to use "could be ongoing"?

It's appropriate when you want to express uncertainty about whether something is still happening. If you're sure it's continuing, stronger phrases like "is continuing" might be better.

What's the difference between "could be ongoing" and "is ongoing"?

"Could be ongoing" indicates a possibility that something is continuing, while "is ongoing" states with certainty that it is happening. The former expresses doubt, the latter, assurance.