while going on

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "while going on" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be an attempt to convey a sense of continuity or simultaneous action, but it lacks clarity and proper usage. Example: "I was listening to music while going on with my work."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

But Mr. Koepplinger, an experienced hand at Mount Marcy, felt that while going on entailed some risk, it wasn't dangerous.

The New York Times - Arts

1 NATIONAL 22-33 In Sniper's Shadow, People Carry On In Washington and the area around where a sniper is striking, people are finding themselves unwittingly hopscotching through a series of mental calculations while going on about their day.

The New York Times

While going on for pages about Joseph Smith and Mormonism (in which Jesus only periodically figures), he has little to say about the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Roman Catholic Church or Pentecostalism -- which Prothero notes is experiencing a "meteoric rise".

The New York Times - Books

"I think the selection committee should look at all sorts of metrics, and each one can make his own judgment as to which philosophies underlying the different metrics makes sense," he noted, while going on to say that he thinks Wichita State should be included in the field.

The Guardian - Sport

After finishing her training, Stratus and her real life officer partner were followed around by a camera crew while going on legitimate police calls.

Wikipedia

Please be safe while going on unknown trials, and always let somebody know exactly where you are going to be at all times.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

While this was going on, more rain was falling.

The New Yorker

Where would the audience be while that was going on?

The New York Times

While this was going on, the doorbell rang.

The New Yorker

While this is going on, we are making calls.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

While this was going on, Britain and Bangladesh exchanged information about Mostafa.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing simultaneous actions, use more grammatically precise phrases such as "while something is in progress" or "as something continues" to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "going on" directly after "while" unless it's part of a more complex clause. Instead, clarify the subject and verb, for example, "while the investigation was going on."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "while going on" functions as a conjunction phrase, attempting to connect two related events or actions occurring simultaneously. However, it is often considered grammatically incorrect and can be improved for clarity, as noted by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Wiki

19%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Academia

6%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "while going on" attempts to connect simultaneous events, functioning as a conjunction phrase. However, Ludwig AI highlights its grammatical incorrectness, suggesting improvements for clarity. The analysis reveals a neutral to informal register, commonly found in news and general web content but less suitable for academic or scientific writing. Despite its common usage, authoritative sources often employ more precise language. When writing, consider alternatives like "as something continues" or "during the course of" for improved grammatical correctness and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in the process

Focuses on an action that is underway, similar to "while going on" but shorter and more direct.

as something continues

Emphasizes the ongoing nature of an action, similar to "while going on" but with a clearer grammatical structure.

during the course of

Replaces "while going on" with a more formal term, suggesting a process or activity is happening simultaneously.

as things proceed

Indicates a forward progression of events happening concurrently, replacing the continuous verb form in "while going on".

as it unfolds

Replaces the continuous aspect of "going on" with a dynamic sense of revelation or development.

simultaneously

Replaces the entire phrase with an adverb that means "at the same time", offering a concise alternative.

during the activity

Uses a noun phrase to replace the verb phrase, focusing on the duration of an activity.

concurrently

A single word replacement focusing on the simultaneous nature of actions.

whilst in progress

A more formal and somewhat archaic way of saying something is happening, similar to "while going on".

as it transpires

Implies a more revelatory unfolding of events, contrasting with the simple continuation suggested by "going on".

FAQs

What's a more grammatically correct way to say "while going on"?

Instead of "while going on", use alternatives such as "while something is in progress" or "as something continues". These options provide clarity and grammatical correctness.

Is "while going on" considered formal or informal language?

While it appears in various sources, "while going on" is generally considered informal and can be grammatically ambiguous. More formal alternatives like "during the course of" are preferable in professional writing.

How can I rephrase "while going on" to emphasize simultaneous actions?

To emphasize simultaneous actions, consider using adverbs like "concurrently" or phrases like "at the same time as". For example, instead of "while going on", you could say "concurrently with the investigation".

What's the difference between "as something continues" and "while going on"?

"As something continues" offers a clearer grammatical structure, explicitly stating the ongoing nature of an action. "While going on" is less precise and may require additional context for clarity.