long time stopped

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "long time stopped" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express a duration of time during which something has ceased or been inactive, but it requires rephrasing for clarity. Example: "The project has been on hold for a long time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The most alarming small item of news we have read in a long time stopped us cold in the Times of July 16th.

The New Yorker

By Alastair Reid The New Yorker, August 7 , 1978P. 17 The most alarming small item of news we have read in a long time stopped us cold in the Times of July 16th.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"Newsday to us a long time ago stopped being Long Island's newspaper because it is run from Chicago," Mr. Morey said.

The New York Times

He sang a long time, then stopped and let the group play several minutes more.

The New Yorker

It's a dream that lay dormant for a long time; I stopped believing in it.

The Guardian - Film

A QT supernerd (Mr. Stewart) sent it to Zak's father (Mr. Thomas), a crazily busy scientist who hasn't a minute for his son, no matter how long time is stopped.

The New York Times

And I said, gee, I haven't talked to him in a long time; he stopped speaking to me, but you know what, I have his business card.

Huffington Post

It's taken me a really long time to stop comparing myself to others, to stop myself from rating myself, to stop praying that I'm attractive enough for men that I don't even know or care about, to remember that I'm a fucking person. .

Huffington Post

Two coaches who have done a model job of rebuilding their programs in a short time stopped just long enough to embrace -- and talk about the opposite directions their teams seem to be headed, especially after what happened yesterday.

The New York Times - Sports

It took a long time to stop".

The New York Times

"It took me a long, long time to stop missing my house -- six years," she said.

The New York Times - Style

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "long time stopped" in formal writing. Instead, opt for clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives like "stopped a long time ago" or "has been stopped for a long time".

Common error

The phrase "long time stopped" reverses the typical English word order, where the verb usually follows the auxiliary verb and adverbial modifiers. Ensure the verb "stopped" appears after the auxiliary verb if needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "long time stopped" functions as a modifier indicating a duration followed by a state of cessation. However, it's grammatically unconventional and often requires rephrasing for clarity. Ludwig AI indicates that is not correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "long time stopped" is grammatically incorrect and not commonly used in standard English. Ludwig AI confirms its ungrammatical nature. While it appears in some sources, primarily news and media, its frequency is rare. For clearer and more effective communication, it's advisable to use alternatives like "stopped a long time ago" or "has been stopped for a long time". The register tends to be informal and more precise and structured phrases are generally preferred for formal writing. When you need to write such a form, check the Ludwig's alternatives and examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

halted for an extended period

Replaces "stopped" with "halted" and adds "for an extended period" to clarify the duration of cessation.

inactive for a considerable duration

Substitutes "stopped" with "inactive" and uses "considerable duration" to emphasize the length of time.

ceased operations long ago

Replaces "stopped" with "ceased operations" and "long time" with "long ago", focusing on the termination of activity.

on hold for quite some time

Employs the idiom "on hold" to convey the idea of temporary suspension over a "long time".

suspended for a lengthy duration

Uses "suspended" instead of "stopped" and "lengthy duration" to highlight the extended period of inactivity.

discontinued a while back

Replaces "stopped" with "discontinued" and "long time" with "a while back", suggesting a past termination.

out of service for years

Focuses on the state of being "out of service" rather than actively stopping, emphasizing the duration with "years".

interrupted for a prolonged period

Substitutes "stopped" with "interrupted" and uses "prolonged period" to emphasize the length of the interruption.

dormant for many years

Replaces "stopped" with "dormant", suggesting a state of inactivity, and specifies "many years" for the duration.

out of commission for a long stretch

Uses "out of commission" to indicate being non-operational and "long stretch" to denote the extended period of time.

FAQs

What is a more grammatically correct way to say "long time stopped"?

Instead of "long time stopped", consider using phrases like "stopped a long time ago", "has been stopped for a long time", or "halted for an extended period" for better clarity and grammar.

What are some alternative phrases to "long time stopped" that convey a similar meaning?

Similar phrases include "inactive for a considerable duration", "ceased operations long ago", or "on hold for quite some time". These alternatives offer clearer and more common ways to express the idea of something being inactive for an extended period.

Why is "long time stopped" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "long time stopped" doesn't follow standard English sentence structure. A more grammatically sound construction would typically involve an auxiliary verb (e.g., "has been") or a different word order, such as "stopped a long time ago".

In what contexts might I encounter the phrase "long time stopped", and should I use it?

While you might find "long time stopped" in informal contexts or specific dialects, it's generally advisable to avoid it in formal writing. More appropriate alternatives depend on the intended meaning, such as "discontinued a while back" or "out of service for years".