was completely in progress

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was completely in progress" is not standard in written English and may sound awkward.
It could be used to describe an ongoing action or situation that was fully underway at a specific time in the past, but it is better to use more conventional phrasing. Example: "The project was completely in progress when the funding was cut."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

You are completely in charge.

The New York Times - Arts

In the 1980s and early 1990s economic progress was completely held back by inflation, a depreciating currency, inefficient capital markets and unemployment.

The New York Times

It's completely based on progress".

The New York Times - Sports

Through its suite of products like Enquisite Campaign, Enquisite Optimizer and Enquisite Auditor, customers can maximize their traffic flow from organic search results, and agencies can be completely transparent in demonstrating the progress and value of their work.

Forbes

David Pope, of Brewin Dolphin Securities, told Forbes.com that the club's revenue is "completely skewed to its progress in the Champions League".

Forbes

Child labor has not been completely eliminated in Brazil, but there has been progress in keeping children out of hazardous work and protecting adult workers.

The Guardian

But several participants in the talks said European and American officials have been completely out of sync, making it difficult to achieve progress.

The New York Times

0 means no progress at all and 10 means you are completely successful in reaching this goal".

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Ideally, published scientific analyses are completely reproducible in as easy a fashion as possible; and anything less represents an impediment to both progress and peer review (Peng, 2011).

Bioinformatics

Finding one that's completely my own is a work in progress".

The Guardian - Books

So far, about 60 units have been completely redone; several dozen more are in progress.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "was completely in progress", opt for clearer and more common phrases such as "was fully underway" or "had significantly progressed" to ensure your writing is easily understood.

Common error

Don't combine words in ways that sound unnatural or unidiomatic. While individual words might be correct, their combination can create confusion. In the case of "was completely in progress", using alternative phrases will make your writing sound more professional.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was completely in progress" attempts to describe a state of ongoing activity, but its structure is unconventional. According to Ludwig AI, this is not a standard phrase in written English, and it may sound awkward to native speakers. Alternative phrasing is preferable for clarity.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was completely in progress" is considered grammatically awkward and uncommon in English. According to Ludwig AI, the phrasing sounds unnatural, and standard alternatives such as "was fully underway" or "had significantly progressed" are recommended. The absence of examples from authoritative sources further underscores the need to avoid this phrase in favor of clearer and more conventional expressions to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was fully underway

Replaces "completely in progress" with a more standard and clear way to express that something had commenced and was ongoing.

was in full swing

Suggests an activity or event was not only ongoing but also at its peak or most active phase.

was well advanced

Indicates significant progress had been made, implying a developed state rather than just an initial start.

had significantly progressed

Emphasizes the degree of advancement, focusing on the amount of progress made.

was actively proceeding

Highlights the ongoing nature of the process, stressing that action was being taken.

was moving forward rapidly

Conveys both progress and speed, useful when the pace of advancement is important.

was steadily advancing

Implies consistent and continuous movement toward completion or a goal.

was actively developing

Focuses on the growth and evolution of something, rather than just its progression.

was being completed

Emphasizes the final stages of a process, nearing its end.

was nearing completion

Indicates that something is close to being finished, highlighting its advanced state.

FAQs

What phrases can I use instead of "was completely in progress"?

You can use alternatives like "was fully underway", "had significantly progressed", or "was in full swing" depending on the context.

Is the phrase "was completely in progress" grammatically correct?

While not strictly ungrammatical, the phrase "was completely in progress" is considered awkward and uncommon in standard English. It's better to use alternative phrasings for clarity.

How can I improve my writing to avoid using phrases like "was completely in progress"?

Focus on using more direct and common expressions. For example, instead of "was completely in progress", consider using "was well advanced" or "was actively proceeding".

Why does "was completely in progress" sound awkward?

The combination of "completely" and "in progress" is redundant and doesn't align with typical English phrasing. "In progress" already implies something is underway, making "completely" unnecessary and stylistically weak.