maintain working

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "maintain working" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey the idea of keeping something operational or functional, but it lacks clarity and proper grammatical structure. Example: "We need to maintain working conditions in the office to ensure productivity."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

"One of the most important purposes of this whole preservation strategy is to maintain working farms.

The New York Times

The American asked not to be identified because he needed to maintain working relationships with his Afghan counterparts.

The New York Times

They must also maintain working lavatories and provide medical attention, if necessary, and publish plans outlining how they will deal with lengthy tarmac delays.

The New York Times - Travel

Of all the subspecies of art world professional, art dealers must maintain working relationships with all the others: artists, collectors, curators, critics and also museum directors.

The New York Times - Arts

The roof -- a centerpiece of an innovative and potentially risky $2 billion redevelopment project that will take 20 years to complete -- will cool the factory inside during the summer and keep things toasty in winter, reducing the amount of energy needed to maintain working temperature in the building.

The New York Times

Mr Bush compared Mr Sarkozy's arrival with the "latest incarnation of Elvis" and endorsed an EU plan to develop stronger defences.With Vladimir Putin due to join the summit on April 4th, and then to host Mr Bush the next day in the resort of Sochi, the American president was balancing the need to maintain working relations with the Kremlin while not being seen to yield to threats.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

Establishing and maintaining working relationships with major institutional users.

Bplans

1.3 Keys to Success The keys to success for Silvera & Sons are: Establishing and maintaining working relationships and contractual agreements with American importers and Brazilian coffee brokers and wholesalers.

Bplans

Our keys to success are: Establishing and maintaining working relationships and contractual agreements with American importers and Brazilian coffee brokers and wholesalers.

Bplans

How, exactly, people maintain work friendships varies geographically, Geddes said.

BBC

In the latter case, it is vital to monitor and control tightly the job-search activity of benefit recipients in order to maintain work incentives.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the phrase "maintain working", opt for clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives such as "keep operational" or "ensure functionality" to improve clarity.

Common error

Avoid combining "maintain" directly with a present participle like "working" when a more specific adjective or noun phrase would provide better clarity. For example, instead of "maintain working", consider "maintain operational readiness" or "ensure proper function".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "maintain working" functions as a verb phrase aiming to express the act of keeping something in an operational state. However, it's not considered grammatically sound. As noted by Ludwig, it's often better to use alternatives for enhanced clarity.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "maintain working" aims to express the act of keeping something functional, Ludwig AI analysis reveals that it is not considered standard written English. It appears infrequently and is best replaced with clearer alternatives like "keep operational" or "ensure functionality", especially in formal contexts. As shown through the examples analyzed, its usage is split across science, news media and formal business domains. Using more precise language will enhance clarity and grammatical correctness in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

keep in working order

Adds "in order" to clarify the state being maintained, providing a more explicit meaning.

keep operational

Replaces the verb "maintain" with "keep" and the adjective "working" with "operational" for a slightly more formal tone.

ensure functionality

Shifts the focus to the result of maintenance, ensuring the functionality of something.

preserve functionality

Similar to 'ensure functionality', but with an emphasis on preserving something's current functionality.

retain functionality

Similar to 'preserve functionality', but emphasizes retaining what is already there.

sustain operation

Focuses on the continuation of an operation rather than the condition of being "working".

maintain operational status

Adds more formality and precision, specifying that it's the operational status that's being maintained.

maintain in service

Emphasizes keeping something actively used or available for use, instead of its general state.

uphold operability

Uses a more formal verb, "uphold", to denote a higher level of commitment to maintaining operability.

service to operate

Describes actions taken to prepare for further functioning, rather than maintaining its working state.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "maintain working"?

You can use phrases like "keep operational", "ensure functionality", or "preserve functionality" depending on the context.

How can I rephrase a sentence using "maintain working" for better clarity?

Instead of saying "We need to maintain working conditions", try "We need to ensure the conditions are operational" or "We must sustain suitable working conditions".

Is "maintain working" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "maintain working" is not considered standard written English. Using alternatives like "keep in working order" is preferred.

What's the difference between "maintain working" and "maintain work"?

"Maintain work" typically refers to sustaining employment or tasks, whereas "maintain working" (though less common) suggests keeping something functional. Consider alternatives like preserve functionality to be more accurate.