held a lecture

USAGE SUMMARY

"held a lecture" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means to give or present a lecture, usually to a group of people. Example: "The professor held a lecture on the effects of climate change on the environment. He discussed various scientific studies and shared his own research findings with the audience."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Last year, the university held a lecture about the Dalai Lama sponsored by the Confucius Institute, which is largely funded by the Chinese government.

The New York Times

The Colloquium recently held a lecture series on the work of Hannah Arendt, which examined the legacy of this significant scholar from a variety of perspectives.

Harvard University

She held a lecture on marketing and branding of a film.

Wikipedia

Last night Jon Rafman held a lecture to inaugurate the second season of Palais de Tokyo's "Imagine the Imaginary" exhibition.

Vice

His first stop was in Paris where, at the invitation of the Chinese ambassador, he held a lecture seminar at the PRC embassy.

Wikipedia

During 2011, WSGT added a website on Weebly and our first events were held: A lecture dubbed Uncovering Jewish Morocco, and hosting of Meet Plan Go in Los Angeles.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

I didn't have the sort of brain trained to hold a lecture, you know?

The Guardian

The fellow will also hold a lecture, seminar or workshop on his or her research.

Stanford University

In conjunction with the exhibition, the museum will hold a lecture by Hal Buell, photographic editor at The Associated Press from 1968 to 1991, at 7 30 p.m. on March 29.

The New York Times

Wine in Ancient Rome On Tuesday at 8 p.m. Archaeology magazine is holding a lecture about the history of wine in ancient Rome at the National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South.

The New York Times - Food

The Digital Currency Initiative is welcoming the BlockSci team, who will hold a lecture from 12 00-1 30pm, followed by a hands-on workshop.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the audience and purpose of the lecture. If the event was more informal, alternatives like "gave a talk" might be more appropriate.

Common error

Avoid using "held a lecture" when the event was actually a workshop, seminar, or informal talk. Ensure your terminology accurately reflects the nature of the event.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "held a lecture" functions as a verb phrase, where "held" is the past tense of the verb "hold", and "lecture" is a noun. It typically describes the action of organizing and presenting a formal talk or presentation. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Academia

30%

Science

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "held a lecture" is a grammatically correct and relatively common phrase used to describe the action of presenting a formal talk or presentation. As Ludwig AI confirms, its use spans diverse contexts, from academic and scientific discussions to news reports and artistic inaugurations. While the phrase leans toward a professional register, suitable alternatives like "delivered a lecture" or "gave a presentation" might be more fitting in less formal situations. When using the phrase, ensure your terminology reflects the nature of the event and consider your target audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Delivered a lecture

Replaces "held" with "delivered", emphasizing the act of giving the lecture.

Gave a presentation

Substitutes "lecture" with "presentation", broadening the scope to include non-lecture formats.

Conducted a seminar

Replaces "lecture" with "seminar", implying a more interactive session.

Presented a talk

Uses "talk" instead of "lecture", suggesting a more informal presentation.

Hosted a discussion

Changes "lecture" to "discussion", emphasizing audience participation.

Offered a discourse

Replaces "lecture" with "discourse", implying a more formal and extended presentation.

Presided over a symposium

Changes "lecture" to "symposium", suggesting a formal academic conference.

Led a workshop

Replaces "lecture" with "workshop", indicating a hands-on learning session.

Organized a teach-in

Substitutes with "teach-in", suggesting a more informal, educational gathering often with a political leaning.

Facilitated an educational session

Replaces "lecture" with "educational session", focusing on the instructive aspect with active facilitation.

FAQs

What does "held a lecture" mean?

The phrase "held a lecture" means to give or present a formal talk on a particular subject, typically to an audience in an academic or professional setting.

How can I use "held a lecture" in a sentence?

You can use "held a lecture" in a sentence like this: "The professor "held a lecture" on the history of quantum physics."

What can I say instead of "held a lecture"?

You can use alternatives like "delivered a lecture", "gave a presentation", or "presented a talk" depending on the context.

Is "held a lecture" formal or informal?

"Held a lecture" is generally considered a formal phrase, appropriate for academic, professional, or news contexts. For more casual settings, phrases like "gave a talk" might be more suitable.