Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described that may enable a user equipment (UE) to monitor a shared spectrum to receive control signaling and data transmissions associated with different transmission time intervals (TTIs). For example, a base station may communicate with a UE according to a first transmission mode during a first, shortened TTI. The base station may transmit a downlink control channel for a shortened TTI based on a subset of a number of blind decodes or control channel elements. Additionally, a downlink control channel for a shortened TTI may contain grants for multiple TTIs. In some cases, the base station may transmit a signaling to the UE via a reference signal, downlink control channel, or radio resource control which may indicate a change from the shortened-TTI transmission mode to a transmission mode with a TTI duration that is longer than the first, shortened TTI duration.