exactly going on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exactly going on" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to inquire about the current situation or events, but it lacks clarity and proper structure. Example: "Can you tell me what is exactly going on with the project?"

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"Surely it's time you told the House what is exactly going on and set before us the business case you're trying to keep secret".

BBC

And it's a huge plus "if the top guy in the company knows what's exactly going on in the industry," says Scott, surmising that more diversified companies can't give storage their undivided attention.

Forbes

"When you're dealing with potentially the hardest moments of your life, you don't have to worry about these other logistical tasks and the feeling of confusion on what's exactly going on," Leviner said.

TechCrunch

In any case, we are both wrong, we will never know what was exactly going on in any given picture.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"What exactly goes on back there?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

So what exactly goes on inside?

The Guardian - Arts

What exactly went on, we still don't know.

The New York Times - Sports

In Monday's hearing, it was unclear who or what, exactly, went on trial.

The New York Times

Mangold tackled him on what exactly goes on in his Black and White Club in Budapest.

The Guardian

You forget what exactly went on, and seeing all this footage brings it back.

The Guardian - Music

"One of the challenges of neural networks is understanding what exactly goes on at each layer.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When seeking information about a situation, prioritize grammatically sound alternatives like "What exactly is happening?" or "What is really going on?" for clear and effective communication.

Common error

Ensure the use of proper syntax by placing adverbs such as "exactly" in their appropriate positions within a sentence. Instead of "exactly going on", use "exactly what is going on".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exactly going on" serves as an interrogative, aiming to elicit information about a current situation. Though grammatically unconventional, its intent is to inquire about events. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is not correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

74%

Academia

13%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "exactly going on" is used to inquire about a situation, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. Its intent is to seek specific details, but its non-standard structure limits its use to informal contexts. Despite its appearance across diverse sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, prioritizing grammatically sound alternatives, such as "What exactly is happening?" or "What is really going on?", ensures clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

precisely what is happening

Replaces "going on" with "happening" and uses "precisely" for emphasis; more grammatically correct.

specifically what is occurring

Substitutes "going on" with "occurring" and employs "specifically" for precision; grammatically sound.

what exactly is happening

Rephrases the question to adhere to standard English grammar and word order.

what is really going on

Focuses on the truth or reality of the situation; less about precise details.

what is actually happening

Emphasizes the factual nature of the events; similar in intent but grammatically clearer.

what's the real story

Offers a more informal way to ask about the truth of a situation.

what's the true situation

Focuses on a state of affairs as opposed to an event or series of events.

can you clarify what's happening

Shifts the phrase to a request for clarification; more polite and direct.

explain the situation

This phrase implies the speaker knows nothing and it must be described entirely.

what are the details

Shifts focus to the specific details of a situation rather than the overall event.

FAQs

How can I correctly ask about a situation using "exactly"?

Instead of asking something like "exactly going on?", structure your question as "What "exactly is going on"?" or "What is exactly happening?" to maintain proper English grammar.

What phrases are similar to "exactly going on" but grammatically sound?

You can use phrases such as "What is "really going on"?", "What is "actually happening"?", or "What "precisely is happening"?" as alternatives.

Is "exactly going on" considered formal or informal language?

While understandable, "exactly going on" doesn't adhere to standard English grammar, making it unsuitable for formal contexts. Opt for clearer, grammatically correct alternatives in professional or academic settings.

What's the difference between "exactly going on" and "what's going on exactly?"

"Exactly going on" is grammatically awkward and non-standard. "What's going on exactly?" is more acceptable but less formal than "What "exactly is going on"?", which is grammatically correct and suitable for most situations.