while following

USAGE SUMMARY

"while following" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it to indicate the action taking place at the same time as something else. For example, "I remembered the lyrics to the song while following the beat on my drum."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Certain machines will have certain methods to follow to get you through the machine while following their special rules.

WikiHow

Bill's sister lived there for a while, following her stroke.

The New Yorker

And she insisted on them while following Mr. Sarkozy.

The New York Times

10 Go back towards the bench and keep bearing right while following the path.

The Guardian - Travel

felix23 Spy red deer while following in the footsteps of eight Scottish kings who hunted here.

The Guardian - Travel

Later, he shot footage while following me through gaps in the trees.

The New Yorker

Tree of Codes, while following the ghostly outline of this same narrative, pursues divergent agendas.

The Guardian - Books

"She's very calm," Marivic Galdiano said while following her daughter's round from outside the ropes.

The New York Times - Sports

They hope, while following the company's winning formula, to extend the season by a week in coming years.

The New York Times - Arts

This means that while following the balloon, the chase group will have to make a detour to get the Champagne.

The New York Times

"The athlete who covers the distance the fastest while following the course rules (about trajectories, fines, etc).

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "while following", ensure that the subject performing the action is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity in the sentence.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by ensuring that the phrase "while following" is placed close to the noun or pronoun that is performing the action. A misplaced modifier can lead to unintended or humorous interpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "while following" functions as a subordinating conjunction, introducing a clause that provides context or describes an action happening simultaneously with the main clause. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Wiki

19%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

13%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "while following" functions as a versatile conjunction phrase indicating concurrent actions. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is grammatically correct and common across diverse contexts, including news, wikis, and scientific writing. It's important to place the phrase carefully to avoid misplaced modifiers. Alternative phrasing such as "as you proceed" or "during the course of" can provide variety. Ensuring clarity and correct placement when using "while following" will enhance the quality of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as you proceed

Replaces "following" with "proceed", implying a step-by-step action.

during the course of

Emphasizes the duration and activity happening simultaneously.

concurrently pursuing

More formal and highlights the simultaneous nature of the actions.

in conjunction with

Highlights the combination of following something with something else happening.

simultaneously adhering to

Formal and emphasizes obedience to rules or guidelines.

as one adheres to

Specifies that adherence happens at the same time as the action is taking place.

in the process of obeying

More detailed, specifying that obeying is part of a process.

whilst in pursuit of

A more literary alternative, suggesting active chasing or seeking.

during the act of complying with

Highlights compliance as the simultaneous action.

at the same time as obeying

Directly states the simultaneity of obeying rules.

FAQs

How can I use "while following" in a sentence?

Use "while following" to indicate that two actions are occurring simultaneously. For example, "She checked her phone "while following" the directions."

What are some alternatives to "while following"?

You can use alternatives such as "as you proceed", "during the course of", or "concurrently pursuing" depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is "while following" grammatically correct?

Yes, "while following" is grammatically correct when used to connect two simultaneous actions. However, ensure the sentence structure is clear to avoid misplaced modifiers.

What's the difference between "while following" and "after following"?

"While following" indicates simultaneous actions, whereas "after following" indicates sequential actions. For instance, ""while following" the recipe" means doing something during the process, but "after following the recipe" means doing something once the recipe has been completed.