to be injuring

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to be injuring" is not correct and is not commonly used in written English.
It is generally not used because "injuring" is a present participle that does not fit well with "to be" in this context. Example: "He seems to be injuring himself during the game." (This would be better phrased as "to be injured" or "to be causing injury.")

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"The total population of drug users has been pretty stable since the late 1980s".This is not an unmixed blessing: heavy users seem to be using more drugs, and to be injuring and killing themselves more often.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Another 30 are thought to be injured.

Independent

There is no time to be injured.

The New York Times - Sports

I can't afford to be injured".

The Guardian

And hope not to be injured.

The New York Times - Magazine

None of the 16 crew are thought to be injured.

Independent

It is difficult enough to be injured or gravely ill.

The New York Times

It is unclear how his hands came to be injured.

The Guardian

So unlucky to be injured two weeks before a final.

The Guardian - Sport

Rui Patricio, the keeper, pretends to be injured and goes down.

The Guardian - Sport

I can't choose the time to be injured.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "to be injuring". Opt for more common and grammatically sound alternatives such as "to be harming", "to be damaging", or "to be causing injury".

Common error

A frequent mistake is using the present participle "injuring" after "to be" when a passive construction or a more direct action verb is required. For example, instead of saying "he seems to be injuring himself", use "he seems to "be injured"" or "he is harming himself".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to be injuring" functions as a verb phrase intending to describe an action in progress. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically questionable. The intended meaning is usually better conveyed using alternative constructions.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "to be injuring" might seem like a logical construction, Ludwig AI reports it's not grammatically correct and is rarely used in standard English. The intended meaning of describing an ongoing action that causes harm is better conveyed through alternative phrases like "to "be harming"", "to "be damaging"", or "to "be causing injury"". These alternatives are more grammatically sound and commonly accepted in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using "to be injuring" to maintain clarity and grammatical correctness in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to be harming

Replaces "injuring" with "harming", a more common and generally acceptable synonym in this context.

to be damaging

Substitutes "injuring" with "damaging", another frequent and suitable alternative indicating the act of causing damage.

to be hurting

Replaces "injuring" with "hurting", a more direct synonym, especially in contexts involving physical or emotional harm.

to be inflicting injury

Uses a more formal construction, replacing the present participle with a noun phrase, emphasizing the action of inflicting an injury.

to be causing injury

Similar to "inflicting injury", this alternative explicitly states the act of causing injury.

to be leading to injuries

Shifts the focus to the result or consequence of an action, indicating that something is causing injuries to occur.

to be responsible for injuries

Indicates a level of accountability or causation for injuries sustained.

to be a source of injury

Focuses on the origin or cause of injuries, portraying something as a potential hazard.

to be posing a risk of injury

Highlights the potential for harm or injury in a given situation.

to be increasing the chance of injury

Emphasizes that something is elevating the likelihood of injuries occurring.

FAQs

Is "to be injuring" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "to be injuring" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use alternatives like "to be harming", "to be damaging", or "to be causing injury" depending on the intended meaning.

What can I say instead of "to be injuring"?

You can use alternatives like "to be harming", "to be damaging", "to be hurting", "to "be inflicting injury"", or "to "be causing injury"" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "to be injuring" or "to "be injured""?

"To "be injured"" is the correct and more common phrase. "To be injuring" is rarely used and sounds awkward to native English speakers. The phrase "to "be injured"" implies a state, while "to be injuring" would imply an ongoing action of causing injury, which is better expressed differently.

How do I use "to "be harming"" in a sentence?

You can use "to "be harming"" in sentences such as, "Smoking is known to "be harming" your health", or "The company's practices seem to "be harming" the environment". Remember to adjust the tense as needed.