were ongoing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were ongoing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions or events that were in progress at a certain point in the past. Example: "The negotiations were ongoing for several months before an agreement was finally reached."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Investigations were ongoing Saturday night.

The New York Times

Holder said the group's investigations were "ongoing".

The Guardian - Business

The MoD confirmed discussions were ongoing.

The Guardian

About sixty of those jobs were ongoing.

The New Yorker

The Met said that investigations were ongoing.

The Guardian - Business

Deutsche Bank declined to elaborate, saying that negotiations were ongoing.

The New York Times

She said there were "ongoing mental health issues".

The Guardian

"The problems were ongoing, and there were widespread violations.

The New York Times

So there were ongoing actions, there were ongoing killings in KwaZulu-Natal of Inkatha freedom people by ANC people.

The Guardian

Numerous other areas of lofted dust were ongoing as well.

The Washington Post

The trials were ongoing when the pooled analysis was planned.

The Lancet Neurology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were ongoing" to describe processes, investigations, negotiations, or events that were actively happening at a specific point in the past. It is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

The phrase "is ongoing" refers to a present state. When describing something that was happening in the past, always use "were ongoing" to maintain correct tense and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were ongoing" functions as a verb phrase that modifies a noun, indicating that something was in progress or continuing at a specific time in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, this construction is grammatically sound and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

16%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were ongoing" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that describes events or processes in progress at a specific time in the past. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, including news reporting, scientific writing, and business communication. The phrase appears most often in News & Media sources. When using this phrase, ensure correct tense agreement and avoid using "is ongoing" when referring to past events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were continuing

Replaces "ongoing" with its direct synonym, "continuing".

were in progress

Emphasizes that the actions were happening at a specific time.

were underway

Similar to "in progress" but slightly more formal.

were proceeding

Indicates a more structured or planned continuation.

were being conducted

Highlights the active nature of the processes.

were still happening

Simple and direct way to convey that the actions had not stopped.

had not stopped

Highlights the lack of termination.

were sustained

Implies that the actions were maintained over a period.

were maintained

Highlights the sustained effort or condition.

remained active

Focuses on the state of being active or in operation.

FAQs

How can I use "were ongoing" in a sentence?

The phrase "were ongoing" is used to describe events or processes that were happening or in progress at a certain point in the past. For example, "The investigations "were ongoing" at the time of the report."

What are some alternatives to "were ongoing"?

Some alternatives to "were ongoing" include "were continuing", "were in progress", or "were underway". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "was ongoing" instead of "were ongoing"?

No, it is not generally correct. "Was ongoing" is used with singular subjects, while "were ongoing" is used with plural subjects. For example, "The investigation was ongoing," but "The investigations "were ongoing"".

What's the difference between "were ongoing" and "are ongoing"?

"Were ongoing" refers to something that was in progress in the past, while "are ongoing" refers to something that is currently in progress. For instance, "The negotiations "were ongoing" last year," versus "The negotiations are ongoing now".