prolong for

USAGE SUMMARY

Sentence.
The phrase "prolong for" is not technically correct in written English. To use the phrase correctly, you would need to rephrase it to "prolonged for" or "prolonging for". Here is an example sentence using the phrase "prolonged for": He had a look of sorrow on his face, indicating he had been prolonging for something.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

They associate Santa Claus with an innocence they have lost and would like to prolong for their children, several psychologists suggested.

The New York Times

"How could a fight prolong for so many hours, even though we have hundreds and hundreds of Afghan forces deployed?" asked Amrullah Aman, a retired Afghan general and a military analyst.

The New York Times

The United States has decided to prolong for another year the "outer wall" of sanctions that freezes Serbian assets in America and bars Serbia from dipping into the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other institutions.

The Economist

Feeding the blazing defenses with blankets, tires, wood, sheets of plastic foam and anything else that might burn, the protesters hoped to prolong, for a while longer at least, a tumultuous protest movement against President Viktor F. Yanukovych, a leader who was democratically elected in 2010 but is widely reviled here as corrupt and authoritarian.

The New York Times

Therefore, immobilization period was decided to prolong for additional 3 months.

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

As the EU sanctions were prolonged for another year recently, so the counter-sanctions were too.

The Guardian

Many Bolivians died during that dictatorship; one that was prolonged for more than 10 years.

The Guardian

This state usually lasts for minutes to days but may be prolonged for months.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A state of emergency has been prolonged for a 14th year.

The Economist

When the potentiostatic test was prolonged for titanium, the ICR was found to increase with time.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

For harder cheeses the ageing process is prolonged for a few months to a year, or even, for really dry cheeses like Parmesan, several years.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express duration, prefer using "prolonged for" or "prolonging for" to ensure grammatical correctness. For example: "The treatment was prolonged for several weeks."

Common error

Avoid using "prolong" directly with "for" without the proper verb tense. Saying "prolong for" is often grammatically incorrect. Instead, use "prolonged for" or "prolonging for" to fit the context. Using "extend" or "lengthen" may often be more direct and accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prolong for" often functions as part of a verb phrase where the intention is to express the extension of something over a period. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the bare form is grammatically questionable and usually requires adjustment.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "prolong for" presents grammatical challenges. Ludwig AI highlights the need for caution, as the bare form is usually incorrect. It is better to use ""prolonged for"" or ""prolonging for"" and consider alternatives like "extend the duration of" or "lengthen the period of". While examples exist in news and scientific texts, careful construction and consideration of context are essential. Proper usage ensures clarity and grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extend the duration of

Focuses on the action of making something last longer.

lengthen the period of

Highlights increasing the length of a specific time.

continue for a longer time

Emphasizes the continuation aspect over an increased duration.

drag out for

Implies making something last longer than necessary, often with negative connotations.

stretch out for

Suggests extending something, often to its limit.

perpetuate for

Implies making something continue indefinitely.

maintain for

Stresses keeping something in its current state for an extended period.

sustain for

Highlights the ability to keep something going over time.

protract for

Involves extending something, typically an event or process, beyond its usual or expected duration, often making it lengthy or tedious.

draw out for

Implies extending an event or process to be longer than necessary, often suggesting it becomes tedious or unnecessarily complex.

FAQs

How can I use a correct form of "prolong for" in a sentence?

Use "prolonged for" or "prolonging for". For example, "The meeting was "prolonged for" another hour" or "They are "prolonging for" time" depending on the context.

What are some alternatives to "prolong for"?

You can use phrases like "extend the duration of", "lengthen the period of", or "continue for a longer time" instead of "prolong for".

Is it grammatically correct to say "prolong for"?

No, "prolong for" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's better to use ""prolonged for"" or ""prolonging for"".

Which is more appropriate, "prolonged for" or "prolonging for"?

Both ""prolonged for"" and ""prolonging for"" can be correct, depending on the sentence structure. "Prolonged" is used as an adjective or in the passive voice, while "prolonging" is used in the continuous tense. Example: "The treatment was prolonged for six weeks" vs. "They are prolonging the process for unknown reasons".