were still investigating

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were still investigating" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to an ongoing inquiry or examination into a particular matter or situation. Example: "The authorities announced that they were still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Authorities were still investigating.

The Guardian

But the authorities were still investigating.

The New York Times

Military officials said they were still investigating.

The New York Times

The authorities were still investigating the cause.

The New York Times

Officials were still investigating the cause.

The New York Times

The police were still investigating the cause of the fire.

The New York Times

The police were still investigating the shooting on Wednesday.

The New York Times

Fire marshals were still investigating the cause on Monday.

The New York Times

American officials said they were still investigating the market explosion.

The New York Times

The police were still investigating the crime yesterday.

The New York Times

The police were still investigating the deaths yesterday.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were still investigating", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being investigated. Providing specific details enhances clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "were still investigating" when the investigation has already concluded. Use past perfect constructions such as "had been investigating" or "had investigated" to accurately reflect the timeline.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were still investigating" functions as a verb phrase in the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing investigative action at a specific time in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it correctly denotes an inquiry that was underway.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were still investigating" is a common and grammatically sound way to indicate an ongoing investigation in the past, as Ludwig AI points out. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, the phrase conveys that an inquiry was actively in progress at a specific point in time. While it's a versatile phrase, it's important to ensure the tense aligns with the timeline of events. Alternatives like "are continuing to investigate" can provide subtle shifts in emphasis, but the core meaning remains consistent. Overall, "were still investigating" serves as a clear and effective means of communicating that an investigation was underway.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are continuing to investigate

Replaces "were still" with "are continuing to", emphasizing the continuous nature of the investigation.

were in the process of investigating

Emphasizes the active process of investigating.

were yet to conclude their investigation

Indicates that the investigation is ongoing and hasn't reached a conclusion.

had not yet completed their investigation

Similar to the previous phrase, highlighting the incomplete status of the investigation.

were currently probing

Uses the word "probing" as a synonym for investigating, suggesting a detailed examination.

had an ongoing inquiry

Replaces "investigating" with "inquiry", indicating a formal investigation.

investigation remained active

Focuses on the status of the investigation itself, rather than the action of investigating.

were examining the matter

Uses "examining the matter" as a more general alternative to "investigating".

continued to look into

Uses a phrasal verb to express the continuation of the investigation.

were looking into the case

Employs a more informal expression for investigating.

FAQs

How can I use "were still investigating" in a sentence?

You can use "were still investigating" to describe an ongoing inquiry. For example, "Police said they "were still investigating" the cause of the fire".

What's a formal alternative to "were still investigating"?

A more formal alternative would be "are continuing to investigate", which emphasizes the continuous nature of the inquiry.

Is "were still investigating" grammatically correct?

Yes, "were still investigating" is grammatically correct. It uses the past continuous tense to describe an ongoing action in the past, Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

What is the difference between "were still investigating" and "had investigated"?

"Were still investigating" implies the investigation was ongoing at a point in the past, whereas "had investigated" suggests the investigation was completed before a specific point in the past.