outstanding task

USAGE SUMMARY

'outstanding task' is a correct phrase in written English.
It is used to describe an important task that has not been completed yet. For example: John was feeling overwhelmed by all the outstanding tasks on his to-do list.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Mr Obama and his team believe that his outstanding task is to secure a domestic legacy.

The Economist

Calibration and validation of the model against experiments for specific rocks is an outstanding task.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Therefore, it is our opinion that intra-corporeal knot tying is an outstanding task to be trained on a simulator.

Gynecological Surgery

An outstanding task nowadays is to develop intelligent algorithms to combine or fuse these multi-year observations derived from diverse sensors onboard different satellites for the creation of a consistent and homogeneous global long-term data record which enable solid scientific investigations of climate processes reflecting the state of the Earth and its variability.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

On February 8 , 1821he wrote that the work had been completed, and that the only outstanding task was a final review by a competent person, who had already been assigned to the task.

Wikipedia

Developing statistical methods to determine exactly when this gene flow occurred remains an important outstanding task.

BMC Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Before you do, write a note to yourself listing outstanding tasks or any work things that are on your mind.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Fernández framed this as one of the outstanding tasks still undone in the country's transition from dictatorship to democracy.

The Guardian

Create an Excel spreadsheet, Gantt chart or simple handwritten "To do list" of outstanding tasks along with expected completion dates and deadlines.

The Guardian

(Ashish Jaiswal, PhD in business education, University of Oxford) 4) Use apps "Trello is a project management tool (available as a smartphone app) which allows you to create 'boards' on which to pin all of your outstanding tasks, deadlines, and ideas.

The Guardian

You can add a complication to your watch face to see your next task or the number of outstanding tasks.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In project management documentation, use "outstanding task" to clearly identify tasks that are yet to be completed. This provides transparency and helps team members understand their responsibilities.

Common error

While "outstanding task" is suitable for formal and professional contexts, avoid overusing it in casual conversations. Simpler alternatives like "unfinished work" or "remaining to-dos" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "outstanding task" functions as a noun phrase where "outstanding" acts as a pre-modifying adjective specifying the state of the "task". Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English, aligning with observed patterns in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "outstanding task" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to denote an important task that is yet to be completed. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. While versatile, it finds its primary applications in professional and semi-formal contexts like science, news and media, and project management. When using this phrase, be mindful of the specific context and consider whether more informal alternatives might be suitable for casual communications. Remember that "outstanding" emphasizes incompletion, while "important" highlights significance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pending assignment

Focuses on the aspect of the task being unfinished or waiting to be addressed.

unfinished business

Emphasizes that the task is part of a larger set of responsibilities that need completion.

incomplete project

Highlights the state of the task as being still in progress and not yet finalized.

remaining duty

Highlights the aspect of obligation and the fact that it still needs to be done.

unresolved matter

Shifts the focus to the problem-solving aspect of the task, emphasizing that a solution is still needed.

open item

Describes the task as something on a list that has not been checked off yet.

to-do item

A more casual way of referring to a task that is part of a list of things to be done.

on-going effort

Emphasizes the continuous nature of the task and that it is not yet complete.

pending obligation

Stresses the binding nature of the task and that it must be fulfilled.

unfulfilled responsibility

Underscores the lack of completion and the duty that has yet to be met.

FAQs

How can I use "outstanding task" in a sentence?

You can use "outstanding task" to refer to something that remains to be done. For example, "The only "outstanding task" is to finalize the report".

What are some alternatives to "outstanding task"?

Some alternatives include "unfinished business", "pending assignment", or "incomplete project", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "outstanding task" or "overdue task"?

"Outstanding task" simply means a task that has not yet been completed. "Overdue task" means a task that was due to be completed by a certain date, but hasn't been. Choose the phrase that best reflects the situation.

What's the difference between "outstanding task" and "important task"?

"Outstanding task" refers specifically to a task that is not yet completed. "Important task" refers to a task that has significant value or consequence, regardless of whether it's completed or not. They aren't interchangeable.