extend it longer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "extend it longer" is not entirely correct in standard English usage.
It can be used when referring to making something last for a greater duration, but it is more common to say "extend it" or "make it longer." Example: "Could you please extend it longer so that we have more time to discuss the project?"

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Making the shutdown less painful for 800,000 federal employees will encourage Congress and the White House to extend it even longer, driving up the cost, said Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense.

The Guardian

After being performed as part of Theatre Uncut's Edinburgh programme in 2012, the play was picked up by director Bethany Pitts, who urged Brennan to extend it into a longer piece.

The Guardian

And while the Internet is often accused of making us more shallow, I found that time and again our devices helped deepen a moment, or extend it a bit longer.

The New York Times

Whether the Federer era ended on Center Court this summer, or whether he can extend it just a bit longer, it will require a worthy epitaph.

The New York Times - Magazine

MA: Twitter is all about short conversations, this takes that idea and extends it to longer conversations.

TechCrunch

I'm glad I extended it even longer.

Vice

One could argue that AT&T is simply taking this a step further by extending it from instantaneous use to longer periods and across its entire network.These new limits, reasonable though they may be during peak times given current capacity, remain in place as more 4G networks, with much higher speeds and throughput, are rolled out.

The Economist

The longer a corporation can extend copyrights, the longer it will thrive and try to keep that work out of the public domain.

The New York Times - Magazine

If costume changes, band setups and diva whims had extended much longer, it would have been "Divas 2001".

The New York Times - Arts

As expected, it extends to longer wavelengths of 1.1 μm corresponding to photon energies of approximately 1.1 eV.

Nanoscale Research Letters

There is no present indication that any recession in business will be relatively greater in volume or that it will extend over a longer period of time than the decline which took place at the end of the last cycle.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for precision, consider using "extend it" or "make it longer" for better clarity and broader acceptance in formal writing. While "extend it longer" isn't incorrect, it can sound redundant.

Common error

Be careful not to use "extend it longer" when "extend it" or "make it longer" suffices. The word "longer" can be redundant because "extend" already implies an increase in duration or length.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "extend it longer" functions as a verb phrase used to express the action of prolonging or increasing the duration of something. Ludwig's analysis indicates that while understandable, it's not the most grammatically sound option. Examples found by Ludwig often show redundancy.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "extend it longer" is understandable, Ludwig suggests that it's not the most grammatically precise choice. It functions to express a desire to increase duration, but often carries redundancy. As identified by Ludwig, clearer alternatives like "extend it" or "make it longer" are preferable, especially in formal contexts. The phrase appears across various sources including news, science, and general web content, but remains relatively rare in frequency. To enhance writing clarity, consider avoiding the redundancy inherent in "extend it longer".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prolong it further

Uses 'prolong' instead of 'extend' and 'further' instead of 'longer', both emphasizing increasing duration.

lengthen it more

Replaces 'extend' with 'lengthen' and 'longer' with 'more', focusing on making something longer in duration or physical length.

make it last longer

Uses a more common phrasing with 'make it last' to convey the idea of extending duration.

drag it out

An idiomatic expression suggesting the action of making something continue for an unnecessarily long time.

continue it for a longer period

More formal and explicit way of saying to extend the duration of something

stretch it out

Implies extending something, like a period of time or a material object, to make it cover more distance or time.

elongate it further

Focuses on making something longer, often in a physical sense.

draw it out

Similar to 'drag it out', suggesting a deliberate lengthening of something.

expand its duration

Uses more formal language to refer to increasing the length of time something lasts.

perpetuate it further

Suggests making something continue indefinitely or for a very long time.

FAQs

Is "extend it longer" grammatically correct?

While not strictly incorrect, "extend it longer" can sound redundant. It's generally better to say "extend it" or "make it longer" for clarity.

What's a more formal way to say "extend it longer"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "prolong it further" or "lengthen it more". These options provide a more sophisticated feel.

When is it appropriate to use "extend it longer"?

You can use "extend it longer" in informal conversations where the extra emphasis is acceptable. However, in formal writing or professional settings, it's wise to opt for more concise alternatives.

What are some alternatives to "extend it longer" that aren't redundant?

Alternatives like "continue it", "stretch it out", or "expand its duration" provide different ways to express the idea of making something last longer without being redundant.