not on pace

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not on pace" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone or something is not meeting a scheduled or expected rate of progress. Example: "The project is not on pace to meet the deadline, and we may need to allocate more resources."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

It is not on pace to hit 2012's goal of 45,000 units.

The Washington Post

Digital libraries are becoming more popular, but they're not on pace to replace tangible books anytime soon.

The New Yorker

"It's hard to read," he said, but noted that long-term bookings were not on pace with last year.

The New York Times

However, after taking one accounting course I knew this was the profession for me, but I was not on pace to complete the 150 units required to become a CPA, and my network within the accounting profession was non-existent.

University of California, Berkeley

In addition, if emissions are not on pace to achieve the target, the Deutch proposal's carbon tax rates increase at $15/ton per year instead of $10/ton, which means the tax rates could be over two times larger than the Whitehouse proposal's tax rates by 2030.

Columbia University

(He's given about 215 so far, which is not on pace, to his great irritation). In a typical day, he will post 70 tweets, and in a typical week, he'll post three essays on Medium — a year-old blogging and sharing platform — along with six YouTube videos and a dozen Facebook posts.

The New York Times - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

West Virginia isn't on pace for 17,200 yards.

The New York Times

The funny thing is, if this season had progressed the way the Mets expected it to, McEwing would not be on pace for almost 400 plate appearances.

The New York Times - Sports

This was exactly what the owner Jess Jackson and the trainer Steve Asmussen wanted, and both said they saw no reason Rachel Alexandra could not stay on pace to run in the Breeders' Cup this fall at Churchill.

The New York Times - Sports

I think I'll play until I'm about 38 or 40 because my game is not based on pace or power, it's all about knowledge of football and manipulating the ball, so I'm confident I can play for a long time".

Independent

I think we are not bad on pace but it is too early". Live race coverage on BBC One from 12 10 BST & BBC Radio 5 live from 13:00 BST & live text commentary online from 12 00 BST.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Quantify the extent to which something is "not on pace" when possible. For example, "Sales are 20% not on pace compared to last year."

Common error

Don't assume "not on pace" automatically means failure. It simply indicates a deviation from the planned timeline or target, which may be correctable with adjustments.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not on pace" functions as a descriptive phrase indicating that progress is not occurring at the expected or required rate. Ludwig AI confirms this usage, showing it's used to describe deviations from planned targets or schedules.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Academia

17%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "not on pace" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote that something isn't progressing as expected. As supported by Ludwig AI, it is versatile and can be applied across different contexts, from news reports to academic discussions. When using "not on pace", ensure to clarify the target or goal that is not being met. While alternatives like "behind schedule" or "off track" exist, "not on pace" provides a clear and direct way to communicate a deviation from planned progress.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

behind schedule

Indicates a delay in meeting a planned timetable.

off track

Implies a deviation from the intended course or plan.

falling behind

Suggests a gradual decline in progress compared to expectations.

not meeting expectations

Focuses on the failure to achieve anticipated results.

lagging behind

Similar to falling behind, but may imply a greater distance.

not up to speed

Indicates a lack of sufficient progress or performance.

slipping

Implies a gradual decline from a previously acceptable level.

missing the mark

Highlights the failure to achieve a specific goal or target.

not progressing as planned

Emphasizes the discrepancy between actual and intended advancement.

derailed

Suggests a complete halt or significant disruption to progress.

FAQs

What does it mean to say something is "not on pace"?

It means that something is not progressing at the expected or required rate to achieve a certain goal or meet a deadline.

How can I use "not on pace" in a sentence?

You can say, "The team is "behind schedule"" or "The project is "not meeting expectations" because of unforeseen delays".

Which is more appropriate, "not on pace" or "behind schedule"?

"Not on pace" and "behind schedule" are often interchangeable, but "not on pace" can sometimes refer to not meeting a target that isn't necessarily time-related, while "behind schedule" specifically refers to time. For instance, "Our fundraising is "falling behind"".

What are some alternatives to "not on pace"?

Alternatives include "off track", "falling behind", or "not meeting expectations", depending on the specific context.