move was forward

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "move was forward" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an incomplete thought and lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "The move was forward in terms of progress and development."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Sarto kicked through and Campagnaro fell on the ball for a try, although replays suggested his initial pass to Sarto that sparked the move was forward.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Some basic moves are forward roll, backward roll, candlestick, cartwheel candlestick and a backbend.

WikiHow

This was moving forward, wasn't it?

The New York Times

"At age 68, Bowie was moving forward".

The Guardian - Music

The economic union was moving forward.

Huffington Post

"Each move should be a move forward, and this was not a move forward," he said.

The New York Times

All you do is move forward.

The New Yorker

We're moving forward".

The New York Times

Illinois is moving forward".

The New York Times

"Things are moving forward".

The New York Times - Sports

We are moving forward.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing movement or progress, ensure your sentence has a clear subject performing an action. Instead of "move was forward", specify who or what is moving forward, like "the company moved forward".

Common error

Do not use passive constructions like "move was forward" as they lack clarity and agency. Instead, opt for active voice constructions that clearly state who or what is progressing or taking action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "move was forward" functions as a declarative statement, although grammatically flawed. It attempts to describe a state or condition where something is progressing. Ludwig identifies it as grammatically incorrect and suggests more appropriate alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "move was forward" is flagged by Ludwig as grammatically incorrect. Although its intended meaning is to convey progress or advancement, it lacks the grammatical structure to do so effectively. With very few examples available, its use is rare, and it's advisable to use alternatives like "progress was made" or rephrase to provide a clear subject, for instance, "the project moved forward". The contexts in which this phrase appears are primarily News & Media and Wiki, but its grammatical status suggests it should be avoided in formal writing. Thus, ensure sentences have a clear subject performing an action to enhance clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

advance was made

Focuses on the advancement achieved rather than the direction of a "move".

progress was evident

Highlights the visibility of progress rather than a specific action.

step was progressive

Emphasizes the nature of a step as being progressive.

shift was onward

Indicates a change in a continuing direction.

transition was ahead

Highlights the transition moving towards the future.

initiative was advancing

Focuses on initiative's state rather than direction.

development was proceeding

Highlights the development continuing rather than the origin.

strategy was advancing

Focuses on strategy's state rather than direction.

undertaking was progressing

Highlights the undertaking continuing rather than origin.

operation was progressing

Focuses on operation's state rather than direction.

FAQs

How can I correctly express that a movement or action is progressing?

Instead of saying "move was forward", use phrases like "the team moved forward", "progress was made", or "the initiative advanced" to clearly indicate the subject and action.

What are some alternatives to "move was forward" that convey a sense of progress?

Consider using alternatives such as "the project advanced", "the company progressed", or "the strategy moved ahead" to express forward movement or development.

Is "move was forward" grammatically correct?

No, "move was forward" is not grammatically correct. It lacks a clear subject and verb construction. It's better to specify who or what is moving forward.

Which is the correct way to phrase a sentence: "move was forward" or "the plan moved forward"?

The correct way to phrase a sentence is "the plan moved forward". The phrase "move was forward" is grammatically incorrect and lacks a clear subject.