continuity
continuity — noun
1. the quality of existing without a break or change for an extended period
the quality of existing without a break or change for an extended period
The company has maintained business continuity through three economic recessions.
collocation: business continuity
Xiu values the continuity of her morning yoga routine before work.
The political continuity in Costa Rica helped attract foreign investment from technology companies.
The Maplewood School's math curriculum offers continuity from first grade through twelfth grade, building on what students learned each year.
- persistence
stronger emphasis on continuing despite difficulty
- stability
focuses on steadiness rather than unbroken time
- constancy
more formal; implies unchanging quality over time
- disruption
a break or interruption in the normal flow
- discontinuity
the state of lacking connection between parts
用法筆記
Typically uncountable. Frequently appears in formal contexts such as business planning, government policy, and education.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of events and details in a story staying connected without contradic
the quality of events and details in a story staying connected without contradictions between scenes
Fans noticed a continuity error in the fourth episode when a character's jacket changed colour.
collocation: continuity error
The film's editor maintained continuity across the runtime, checking that coffee cups and jacket buttons stayed consistent.
collocation: checking continuity across shots
Selim spotted a continuity error when the car's damage vanished between scenes.
Iris noticed the scar on the hero's face kept switching cheeks — a clear continuity mistake.
- consistency
broader; used outside storytelling as well
- coherence
focuses on ideas fitting together logically
- logical flow
more informal; describes ease of following the story
- inconsistency
a contradiction between parts of a story
- plot hole
a specific gap in the logic of a narrative
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense. Often found in the phrases 'continuity error' and 'continuity mistake', which are countable.
常見錯誤
3. the complete fictional setting, timeline, and history that different stories sha
the complete fictional setting, timeline, and history that different stories share within a franchise
The latest film introduces a new alien race into the existing Star Wars continuity.
countable: 'a continuity' meaning a fictional universe
Each video game in this series builds on the same continuity, carrying forward storylines from earlier titles.
The novel exists outside the main continuity of the television show.
Niran enjoys reading fan theories about how the two films share a single continuity.
用法筆記
When countable, refers to a specific fictional universe (e.g. 'the main continuity'). When uncountable, describes the concept of a shared story world. Fans often use 'canon' to mean the same thing.
4. the practice of making sure objects, clothing, and positions stay the same when
the practice of making sure objects, clothing, and positions stay the same when a movie or television programme is being filmed
The script supervisor made detailed notes about continuity for every costume change.
collocation: continuity notes
Without continuity, a mug might appear full in one shot but empty in the next.
Continuity photos helped actors place their props back in the same positions for each take.
Anjali's job as continuity assistant requires careful attention to small details like table settings.
- cross-shot consistency
more technical film-industry term
- scene matching
describes the practical activity
- script supervision
the job role that handles continuity
- continuity error
a failure to keep details consistent between shots
用法筆記
Uncountable. A 'continuity person' or 'continuity assistant' is a crew member who tracks details across shots. This sense is distinct from Sense 2 — here the focus is on physical matching, not story logic.
常見錯誤
5. short spoken messages, music, or announcements played on television or radio bet
short spoken messages, music, or announcements played on television or radio between programmes to fill the gaps
The station played a short music clip as continuity between news and the weather report.
used as uncountable bridging content
A continuity announcer reminded listeners to stay tuned for the evening drama programme.
collocation: continuity announcer
Television continuity on BBC One often includes a voice-over promoting the next programme before the evening news begins.
Shirin works as a continuity presenter for the BBC in London, introducing each programme and reading schedule announcements.
- station break
American English equivalent; shorter and narrower
- bridging content
describes the function rather than the medium
- interlude
more general term for a pause between activities
用法筆記
Uncountable. Primarily used in British broadcasting. A 'continuity announcer' or 'continuity presenter' is the person who voices these messages. In American English, the term 'station break' is more common.
6. a document used by a film crew to keep track of props, costumes, and positions a
a document used by a film crew to keep track of props, costumes, and positions across multiple takes
The director revised the continuity to ensure the timeline matched the script's flashback sequence.
countable: 'a continuity' meaning a document
Kwame studied the continuity before the shoot to prepare for each scene's prop requirements.
Nala's detailed continuity helped the editor cut the scenes together without any visual mismatches.
The production assistant updated the continuity after every take to record which items had moved.
- continuity script
more explicit alternative
- shot log
focuses on the logging of each take rather than matching details
- production script
broader term that includes dialogue and stage directions
用法筆記
Countable when referring to a specific document ('a continuity'). Uncountable when referring to the concept in general. This is a niche industry term — most learners will encounter it only in film production contexts.