it was cease

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was cease" is not correct in written English.
It does not convey a clear meaning and is grammatically incorrect as "cease" is a verb and cannot be used in this context without proper structure. Example: "It was time to cease all operations."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"After 2009, it was cease and desist and everyone stopped selling all food," she said.

The New York Times

According to HoldTheFrontPage, there has been no official confirmation by Newsquest/Gannett that it was cease publication of the Express on 20 December.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Penney's also said it was ceasing its quarterly dividend.

The New York Times

RH Transport announced it was ceasing its services on Thursday evening.

BBC

At the end of 2012, the company announced that it was ceasing its print publication and continuing with an all-digital format.

Huffington Post

BBC announced that to launch its Arabic TV service, it was ceasing radio services in Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Kazakh, Polish, Slovak, Slovene, and Thai.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Under its new Indian owners Tata, Jaguar Land Rover announced last year it was ceasing production of its X-Type saloon, or "baby Jaguar".

The Guardian - Business

Late last month, Solyndra announced that it was ceasing operations, laying off its 1,100 employees.

The New York Times

National Geographic announced on Thursday that it was ceasing regular publication of National Geographic Adventure, its 10-year-old magazine about travel and the outdoors published eight times a year.

The New York Times

Employees of Sport Chalet are winding down operations after the store's parent company announced abruptly Saturday it was ceasing online operations immediately, closing all of its 47 stores and initiating a going-out-of-business sale.

Los Angeles Times

Last week, Midway Airlines announced that it was ceasing operations.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating that something has ended, use correct tense and structure. Replace "it was cease" with grammatically correct alternatives like "it stopped" or "it was discontinued."

Common error

Avoid using the base form of the verb "cease" after "it was". Instead, use the past participle (ceased) or a different verb like "stopped" to ensure grammatical correctness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was cease" functions incorrectly as it attempts to use the base form of the verb after "was". Ludwig AI confirms this is grammatically incorrect. A correct sentence would require the past participle "ceased" or a different verb altogether. This is seen by the suggestions of Ludwig's alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was cease" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. Ludwig AI highlights that "cease" requires a different verb form or replacement with a more appropriate verb like "stopped" or "discontinued". Although there are very few examples of it being used, they do not represent standard English usage. Always opt for grammatically correct alternatives to ensure clarity and professionalism in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it stopped

A simpler and more direct way to express that something came to an end.

it was discontinued

Suggests a formal or official ending of something.

it was terminated

Similar to 'discontinued', implying a more forceful or decisive ending.

it was stopped

Emphasizes that something was halted by an external force or decision.

it halted

Suggests a sudden or abrupt stop.

it concluded

Implies a formal or planned ending.

it had ceased

Uses the past perfect tense, indicating the action of ceasing was completed before another point in time.

it has ceased

Uses the present perfect tense, indicating the action of ceasing has relevance to the present.

it came to an end

A more descriptive way to say that something finished.

it did cease

Emphasizes the action of ceasing, though less common in modern usage.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "it was cease"?

The phrase "it was cease" is grammatically incorrect. Use alternatives such as "it was ceased", "it stopped", or "it was discontinued" to convey the intended meaning correctly.

What is a more formal way to say "it was cease"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "it was terminated" or "it was discontinued" instead of the ungrammatical "it was cease".

Which is correct, "it was cease" or "it had ceased"?

"It had ceased" is the correct form. "It was cease" is grammatically incorrect. The past perfect "had ceased" indicates that the action was completed before another point in time.

What's the difference between "it stopped" and "it was cease"?

"It stopped" is a grammatically correct and simple way to express that something ended. "It was cease" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Using "it stopped" ensures clarity and correctness.