speaking was held

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "speaking was held" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to convey that a speaking event or session took place, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "The conference was successful, and speaking was held on various topics throughout the day."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The fundraiser at which he was speaking was held at the home of Tom Steyer, a hedge-fund billionaire who has lately turned his attention and considerable resources toward fighting against approval of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline and those politicians who support it.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The public hearing where they spoke was held as part of a push by the United States Surgeon General, David Satcher, for a national strategy to combat suicide as a public health problem, one that can be reduced with sweeping preventive measures.

The New York Times

After nearly two years of war, this office, generally speaking, is holding up pretty well.

The New Yorker

This time, he was making a much-awaited speech in front of Armenia's president, Serzh Sargsyan, days before the official centenary commemorations on April 24th.Turkish diplomats are understood to have set themselves two aims as the centenary approached: to stop the mass at which Francis spoke being held on the day itself, and to prevent him from using the G-word.

The Economist

The Judge ruled that Armstrong was in contempt, and sent him to the Metropolitan Correctional Center, which is where, speaking of cycles, Bernie Madoff was held earlier this year, before his sentencing.

The New Yorker

Both Bush and current President Barack Obama spoke at the ceremony, which was held in the East Room of the White House.

Huffington Post

Even as the panel was still speaking, Trump was holding a press conference, a few blocks away, with the Presidents of the three Baltic states.

The New Yorker

In 1969, she covered an abortion speak-out for New York Magazine, which was held in a church basement in Greenwich, New York.

Wikipedia

Generally speaking, men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, so why shouldn't women have their share?

The Guardian

He said: "This link is severed when Welsh prisoners, and particularly Welsh speaking prisoners, are held in institutions hundreds of miles from home and their connections".

BBC

Strictly speaking, inquests are held to record the identity of the deceased, as well as when, where and how they died.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "speaking was held". Opt for clearer alternatives such as "a speech was given" or "a presentation took place" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Using "held" with "speaking" creates an awkward and grammatically incorrect construction. Ensure the verb correctly reflects the action; instead of "speaking was held", consider "a speaker gave a speech" or "the event featured speakers".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "speaking was held" attempts to describe an event where speech or presentations occurred. However, Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is not standard English. It tries to function as a passive construction describing an event, but the verb choice is inappropriate.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Wiki

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "speaking was held" is grammatically incorrect, although it appears in various sources like news media and wikis. Ludwig AI identifies the phrase as non-standard English, advising against its use. While the intent is to describe a situation where speeches or presentations took place, better alternatives include "a speech was given" or "a presentation took place". When constructing sentences, it is critical to choose grammatically sound options to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

talk was presented

Substitutes "speaking" with "talk" and uses "presented" to denote the act of delivering information.

speech was given

Replaces "speaking" with "speech" and uses the verb "given" to indicate a formal address.

lecture was given

Specifies the form of speaking as a lecture, using "given" to indicate its delivery.

address was delivered

Substitutes "speaking" with "address" and uses "delivered" to denote a formal presentation.

presentation was conducted

Replaces "speaking" with "presentation" and uses "conducted" to suggest a structured session.

remarks were made

Emphasizes the spoken comments or statements, using "made" to indicate their utterance.

discussion took place

Shifts focus from a single speaker to a broader discussion, using "took place" to indicate occurrence.

oration was delivered

Highlights a formal, often ceremonial speech, using "delivered" to denote its presentation.

seminar was organized

Suggests a more formal, educational event, using "organized" to emphasize planning.

conference was convened

Implies a larger, more official gathering, using "convened" to highlight the assembly of participants.

FAQs

What's wrong with the phrase "speaking was held"?

The phrase "speaking was held" is grammatically incorrect. A more appropriate phrasing would be "a speech was given" or "a presentation took place". The verb "held" doesn't fit well with the action of speaking.

What can I say instead of "speaking was held"?

You can use alternatives like "speech was given", "presentation took place", or "address was delivered" depending on the context.

How can I use "speaking" correctly in a similar context?

Instead of saying "speaking was held", you could say "the event featured speaking engagements" or "the conference included several speaking sessions". In these cases, "speaking" acts as an adjective.

Is there a difference between saying "speaking was held" and "a discussion was held"?

Yes, "speaking was held" is grammatically incorrect. "A discussion was held" is grammatically sound and indicates that a discussion event took place. The latter is a proper way to express that a discussion occurred.