was still continuing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'was still continuing' is grammatically correct and usable in written English.
It is commonly used when describing something that is still in the process of happening. For example: "A heated debate between the two candidates was still continuing when the moderator called for a time-out."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

42 human-written examples

When asked if, given her alleged continuation of her contract with CTFN, meant she was still continuing to take in dogs to her rescue at its present off-grid location, Cuthbert said she was.

Vice

That experiment was still continuing when I arrived in 1980.

The New York Times

By late afternoon the shooting was still continuing.

Independent

Late tonight, the commission's meeting was still continuing.

The New York Times

Recovery from the disaster was still continuing when the new fire struck.

Independent

As the muezzin called for afternoon prayers, the pitched battle for Tahrir square was still continuing.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

15 human-written examples

However, lactic acid production was still continued until the culture reached death phase at approximately 22 h of fermentation.

AMB Express

Sorafenib was still continued at a dose of 400 mg twice daily.

Chinese Journal of Cancer

School is still continuing," she said.

The Guardian

And I am still continuing with this.

The Guardian - Books

"He's still continuing to drive in runs, he's still continuing to walk, he's still continuing to hit home runs.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was still continuing" to clearly indicate an action or process that had already started and remained in progress at a specific point in the past. This is particularly useful in historical accounts or reports.

Common error

Avoid using "was still continuing" when a simple past tense would suffice. Overusing progressive tenses can make your writing sound verbose and less direct. Consider if the continuous aspect is truly necessary to convey the meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was still continuing" functions as a past continuous tense, indicating an action that began in the past and was ongoing at a specific point in time. Ludwig AI affirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was still continuing" is a grammatically sound and commonly used past continuous tense, as validated by Ludwig AI. It serves to emphasize the ongoing nature of an action at a specific point in the past. It is frequently found in News & Media and Scientific contexts, indicating its suitability for reporting and describing prolonged processes. While grammatically correct, it's essential to avoid overuse and ensure that the continuous aspect is necessary for conveying the intended meaning. Alternatives like "was still ongoing" or "remained in progress" can offer variety. Key sources that employ this phrase include The New York Times, The Guardian, and BBC.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was yet ongoing

Replaces "still" with "yet", emphasizing the expectation of completion, but indicating it hasn't happened.

was actively progressing

Emphasizes the active nature of the process, highlighting forward movement.

was presently underway

More formal and emphasizes the current state of being in progress.

remained in progress

Highlights the state of being unfinished or incomplete.

persisted in its continuation

More emphatic and formal, stressing the uninterrupted nature of the action.

was steadily advancing

Highlights the continuous and incremental advancement of the action.

had not yet concluded

Focuses on the lack of completion, rather than the ongoing nature.

was in the process of continuing

A more verbose way of expressing the same idea, adding a bit of redundancy.

carried on unabated

Stresses the uninterrupted and unhindered nature of the continuation.

was protracting

Implies that the action is taking longer than expected or desired.

FAQs

How can I use "was still continuing" in a sentence?

You can use "was still continuing" to describe an action that began in the past and had not yet finished at a specific point in time. For example, "The investigation into the incident "was still continuing" as of last week".

What are some alternatives to "was still continuing"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "was still ongoing", "remained in progress", or "was yet ongoing".

Is "was still continuing" grammatically correct?

Yes, "was still continuing" is grammatically correct. It uses the past continuous tense to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.

What's the difference between "was continuing" and "was still continuing"?

While both phrases describe an action in progress, "was still continuing" emphasizes that the action had already been ongoing for some time and "had not stopped".