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Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
maintain essential
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "maintain essential" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the importance of preserving or keeping something that is crucial or necessary. Example: "In order to ensure the project's success, we must maintain essential communication between all team members."
✓ Grammatically correct
News & Media
Science
Academia
Alternative expressions(19)
preserve crucial
remain crucial
preserve important
continue to be essential
stay important
stay essential
continue to be vital
hold significant importance
prove indispensable
be paramount
carry weight
matter greatly
be crucial
remain essential
remain indispensable
remain important
further crucial
are as important as ever
remain highly significant
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
60 human-written examples
That is why, Lenihan said, the Irish government had to impose higher taxes to maintain essential public services.
News & Media
They were ready to help the government maintain essential services if the strike brings life to a standstill.
News & Media
The bill will provide the island's government some breathing room and allow it to pay workers and suppliers on time as well as maintain essential services, Villamil said.
News & Media
July 17 - The army is called in to maintain essential services in the southern city of Lubin when 80,000 workers there join a general strike.
News & Media
The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), and a host of other government support programs designed to maintain essential market functions, followed shortly behind.
News & Media
Our work suggests that critical factors required for islet development are also needed to maintain essential functions of the mature islet.
Academia
Hours authorized and actually worked to maintain essential Institute services during a closing or early release are paid in the normal way as time worked.
Instead of saving money, swap deals are liabilities, redirecting money that could maintain essential services, create good jobs and close budget gaps.
News & Media
Therefore, plants have acquired specialized mechanisms to sense, transport and maintain essential metals within physiological concentrations and to detoxify non-essential metals and metalloids.
Calcium signaling in the diverse vascular structures is regulated by a wide range of mechanical and biochemical factors to maintain essential physiological functions of the vasculature.
Science
Selecting for particular plant traits in communities and considering interactive effects of specific plant traits may facilitate the targeted management of grasslands to maintain essential ecosystem services.
Science
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When using "maintain essential", ensure the context clearly defines what is being maintained and why it is essential to avoid ambiguity.
Common error
Avoid using "maintain essential" for trivial or non-critical aspects. Reserve it for situations where the function or resource is truly indispensable.
Source & Trust
87%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "maintain essential" functions as a verb phrase where "maintain" is a transitive verb requiring an object and "essential" acts as an adjective modifying the object. It highlights the act of preserving or keeping something crucial in operation or existence. This is supported by Ludwig examples showing its use in diverse contexts.
Frequent in
News & Media
34%
Science
33%
Academia
9%
Less common in
Encyclopedias
2%
Wiki
2%
Formal & Business
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
The phrase "maintain essential" is a versatile and frequently used expression, deemed grammatically correct by Ludwig. It emphasizes the importance of preserving something crucial, finding common application across diverse contexts such as news, science, and academia. Authoritative sources like The Guardian and The New York Times frequently employ it. Alternatives include "sustain vital" or "preserve critical", offering nuanced variations of the same core concept. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity regarding what is being maintained and its essential nature to avoid ambiguity. Avoid overuse in trivial situations, reserving it for genuinely indispensable functions or resources.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
sustain vital
Replaces "maintain" with "sustain" and "essential" with "vital", emphasizing the continuation of something critical.
preserve critical
Substitutes "maintain" with "preserve" and "essential" with "critical", highlighting the act of keeping something crucial intact.
uphold necessary
Uses "uphold" instead of "maintain" and "necessary" instead of "essential", conveying the importance of supporting something needed.
retain crucial
Replaces "maintain" with "retain" and "essential" with "crucial", stressing the importance of keeping something significant.
secure fundamental
Substitutes "maintain" with "secure" and "essential" with "fundamental", emphasizing the protection of something basic and important.
ensure indispensable
Uses "ensure" instead of "maintain" and "indispensable" instead of "essential", highlighting the guarantee of something absolutely necessary.
safeguard vital
Replaces "maintain" with "safeguard" and "essential" with "vital", stressing the protection of something important.
continue crucial
Substitutes "maintain" with "continue" and "essential" with "crucial", conveying the continuation of something significant.
keep fundamental
Uses "keep" instead of "maintain" and "fundamental" instead of "essential", highlighting the act of retaining something basic and important.
support needed
Replaces "maintain essential" with "support needed", providing a more concise way to express the idea of assisting something necessary.
FAQs
How can I use "maintain essential" in a sentence?
Use "maintain essential" to emphasize the importance of preserving something crucial. For example, "The government must "maintain essential" services during a crisis."
What are some alternatives to "maintain essential"?
Alternatives include "sustain vital", "preserve critical", or "uphold necessary", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.
Is it redundant to say "maintain essential services"?
While "essential" implies importance, using "maintain essential services" can emphasize the critical nature of those services, especially in contexts like government functions or disaster response. The perceived redundancy is often for emphasis.
What's the difference between "maintain essential" and "provide essential"?
"Maintain essential" implies keeping something already in place operational, while "provide essential" suggests supplying something that is currently lacking. For instance, you "maintain essential" infrastructure, but "provide essential" aid.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
87%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested