question was held

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "question was held" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey that a question was posed or discussed, but the wording is awkward and unclear. Example: "The question was held during the meeting, but it was not addressed until later."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The information in question was held to be freely translatable from one "coding" to another without impairing its functions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The news conference in question was held on Saturday, and it focused on the report of a delegation appointed by President Hamid Karzai to look into accusations of civilian casualties in the provinces of Kandahar, Kapisa and Paktia.

The New York Times

A debate on this question was held in the White House over a period of weeks last summer — and one noteworthy thing about it is that a debate took place at all.

The New York Times - Magazine

The lighting, camera movement, blocking of the actors, performance, pacing, sound design, score, songs: every conceivable detail, and every question, was held up and measured against that imaginary place, then kept or discarded so that the entire world of the film is hermetically sealed, complete unto itself in every respect.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Last week in London, meetings for the 36 foreign-law bonds in question were held.

The New York Times

If not, the question is held over till next day, this time for $10.

The New Yorker

A majority of the old debt in question is held by Argentine banks and pension funds, for whom the delayed interest would be less of a problem.

The New York Times

But new mathematical techniques being developed to handle "massive data sets"—collections of information whose size is measured in millions of gigabytes might soon provide an answer, by combing through billions of telephone records.The records in question are held by AT&T, which keeps track of the billing information for roughly 250m phone calls each day.

The Economist

Thus even if the duties adults have in respect of children do correlate with rights it does not follow that the rights in question are held by those whose interests they protect.

SEP

Decide ahead of time and state in your introduction if you will allow interruptions during your talk, or if you would rather questions be held for the end of your seminar.

WikiHow

Media question time was held at the end, but only international journalists could ask anything unvetted, which was a responsibility that fell on a Melbourne woman named Andrea Yu.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "question was held" in formal writing. Opt for clearer alternatives like "question was raised" or "question was posed" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Do not confuse the verb 'held' with the action of discussing or raising a question. 'Held' typically refers to possessing or organizing something (e.g. a meeting), not the act of questioning itself. Use alternatives such as "raised" or "posed" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "question was held" is typically intended to describe the action of asking or discussing a question, but it deviates from standard English usage. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrasing is considered awkward and unclear, and it is best to use alternative formulations.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Encyclopedias

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "question was held" appears in some sources, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect and awkward. The intended meaning is often to indicate that a question was raised, posed, or discussed. For clearer and more effective communication, especially in formal writing, it is best to opt for alternatives like "question was raised", "question was posed", or "issue was addressed". These alternatives ensure grammatical correctness and prevent potential misunderstandings. Despite its appearance in some news sources and encyclopedias, the phrase's non-standard nature makes it unsuitable for professional or academic contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

question was raised

Replaces "held" with "raised" to indicate that the question was brought up for discussion.

question was posed

Substitutes "held" with "posed" to emphasize the act of presenting the question.

inquiry was conducted

Replaces question with inquiry, altering the focus from the question to the investigative activity.

debate took place

Shifts the focus to the discussion surrounding the question, using 'debate' to suggest a formal discussion.

topic was discussed

Broadens the scope to a general topic rather than a specific question, indicating a less formal inquiry.

issue was addressed

Focuses on the issue at hand and its resolution, changing the emphasis from questioning to problem-solving.

matter was considered

Emphasizes careful thought and evaluation, diverging from the directness of asking a question.

meetings were convened

Highlights formal gatherings where questions or related topics might be discussed, changing focus to the event.

examination was undertaken

Suggests a formal and detailed investigation, moving further from the simple act of asking.

hearing was conducted

Implies a legal or formal setting for the question or related issue, adding a level of formality.

FAQs

What are some correct alternatives to "question was held"?

Instead of "question was held", you can use phrases like "question was raised", "question was posed", or "issue was addressed" depending on the intended meaning.

Is it grammatically correct to say "question was held"?

No, the phrase "question was held" is grammatically incorrect. A more appropriate phrasing would be to say the question was 'raised', 'posed', or 'addressed'.

In what contexts might I see the phrase "question was held", and why is it not preferred?

While you might encounter "question was held" in some informal contexts, it's not preferred in formal writing due to its awkward phrasing. It is better to use more direct and grammatically sound alternatives.

How does "question was raised" differ from "question was held"?

"Question was raised" indicates that someone brought up a question for discussion, whereas "question was held" is not a standard or grammatically correct way to express this idea.