I was mostly working

USAGE SUMMARY

"I was mostly working" is a correct and usable sentence in written English.
This phrase can be used when describing what you were doing for a specific time period and implies that you were doing that activity more than any other activity. For example: "I was mostly working over the summer, but I also managed to take a few trips."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"I was mostly working on market studies for product managers in Europe.

The New York Times

Some nerdier friends of mine were into it, trying to explain to me crazy things like how "Gopher" worked, but I didn't spend much time online then – I was mostly working on schoolwork and papers.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

I'm mostly working on Flattr.com.

The Guardian

Beyond that, I'm mostly working on writing projects about the new dark age and the relationship between technology, knowledge, understanding, and agency.

Vice

It was mostly working, but occasionally I could slip away to the Imperial War Museum.

Vice

"Uh," he considers it, "it was mostly working the phones".

The Guardian - Film

I'm running the dev build of Chrome on a Mac and the player is mostly working, though the Fullscreen button and volume slider are quirky.

TechCrunch

"It's mostly working drawings and drafting drawings," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

His subjects were mostly working girls, a choice motivated by political as well as erotic sympathies.

The New York Times - Books

She is mostly working at home these days, on two books that seem somehow related.

The New York Times - Sports

Its residents were mostly working class and poor, with a notable contingent of artists and bohemians.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I was mostly working" when you want to downplay other activities you were involved in. For example: "I was mostly working on the project, but I also attended a few meetings."

Common error

Avoid using "I was only working" if you also had other responsibilities, as it minimizes your diverse contributions. Instead, use "I was mostly working" to provide a more accurate and balanced representation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was mostly working" functions as a statement describing a past activity, indicating the primary occupation during a particular timeframe. As Ludwig AI says, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Formal & Business

17%

Science

16%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "I was mostly working" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase indicating the primary activity during a past period. It's most commonly found in news and media contexts with a neutral tone. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase effectively communicates that while working was the main focus, other activities may have occurred. Remember to avoid overstating your commitment and provide a balanced view of your responsibilities. Consider using alternatives like "I primarily worked" or "I mainly worked" to add nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I primarily worked

Focuses on 'primary' as the main activity, differing slightly in emphasis from 'mostly'.

I mainly worked

Uses 'mainly' to convey the principal activity, similar to 'mostly'.

I spent most of my time working

Emphasizes time allocation to working more directly.

I was chiefly working

Uses 'chiefly' to denote the main activity, which is a more formal tone.

My work mainly consisted of

Specifies that the bulk of the time was spent on working but changes the sentence structure.

I was largely engaged in working

Uses 'largely engaged' to indicate the extent of involvement in work.

Working occupied most of my time

Changes the subject to 'working', altering the sentence's focus.

I devoted the majority of my time to working

Highlights time investment in working activities.

My principal occupation was working

Formal alternative, emphasizing the professional context.

Most of my efforts were directed towards working

Highlights the direction of efforts towards working related tasks.

FAQs

How can I use "I was mostly working" in a sentence?

Use "I was mostly working" to describe your primary activity during a specific time. For example, "During the summer, I was mostly working at the local café".

What does "I was mostly working" imply?

It implies that while working was your main focus, you may have also been engaged in other activities to a lesser extent.

What are some alternatives to "I was mostly working"?

Alternatives include phrases like "I primarily worked", "I mainly worked", or "I spent most of my time working", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "I was mostly worked"?

No, "I was mostly worked" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "I was mostly working", using the present participle of the verb 'work'.