I was preparing dinner

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence 'I was preparing dinner' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this sentence when talking or writing about preparing a meal. For example, "Last night, I was preparing dinner for my family when the kitchen timer went off."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

And drinking them again when I felt a little hungry in the late afternoon….and when I was preparing dinner.

The New York Times - Health

Last night, as I was preparing dinner, my 15-year-old daughter walked up to me and asked, "Mom, what is wrong with you?

Huffington Post

One day as I was preparing dinner for my little one, she began to tell me about her upcoming tests that she was preparing to take.

Huffington Post

Dear Revaya, When I came home the other day and listened to the radio as I was preparing dinner, I knew I would have to write you this letter.

Huffington Post

"I was preparing dinner for my family, and, just when we were getting ready to eat, we heard gunshots.

Unicef

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

(Since the computer is doing the work, I tend to multitask while I'm preparing dinner).

Huffington Post

Inside, Deco, who is as tiny as her smile is huge, was preparing dinner.

The Guardian - Travel

She was preparing dinner for her 11-year-old son, Marc Antoine, when the bell rang.

The Guardian

Reading Didion's subtle account of the dark tunnel she entered when Dunne died in his chair as she was preparing dinner is rather like watching a master surgeon stitch up her own heart.

The New Yorker

On the afternoon that Cooke was preparing dinner for his family, Shopkorn and Josh Safdie made the now-familiar drive trip from Manhattan to Stony Creek, a town of around 200.

The New York Times - Sports

She was preparing dinner as usual for Mario, one of their four daughters, Romina, and their one-year-old granddaughter Camila when there was the proverbial "knock on the door".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I was preparing dinner" to clearly indicate you were in the process of making the evening meal at a specific point in the past. For instance, "I was preparing dinner when the phone rang."

Common error

Don't use overly general phrases like "I was doing something in the kitchen" when you can be more specific with "I was preparing dinner". Specificity enhances clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I was preparing dinner" functions as a statement describing an action in progress in the past. It's a common way to provide context or set the scene in a narrative. As confirmed by Ludwig, the sentence is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I was preparing dinner" is a grammatically sound and widely used expression to describe the action of making the evening meal in the past. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability. While suitable for various communication styles, it appears most frequently in news and media contexts, signaling its neutral register. Alternatives such as "I was cooking dinner" or "I was getting dinner ready" offer slight variations in emphasis, while maintaining semantic similarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was getting dinner ready

Replaces "preparing" with "getting ready" focusing on the action of making dinner available.

I was cooking dinner

Substitutes "preparing" with "cooking", emphasizing the cooking process itself.

I was making supper

Uses "supper" instead of "dinner", changing the term for the evening meal.

I was starting dinner

Replaces "preparing" with "starting", indicating the initial action of beginning to make dinner.

I was arranging dinner

Emphasizes the act of arranging or organizing the meal, rather than just preparing it.

I was fixing dinner

Uses "fixing" as a colloquial substitute for "preparing", primarily in American English.

I was setting up dinner

Replaces "preparing" with "setting up", focusing on setting the stage for the meal.

I was assembling dinner

Highlights the act of putting different food components together for the meal.

I was planning the evening meal

Focuses on the planning aspect of preparing dinner, rather than the cooking itself.

I was about to make dinner

Emphasizes the imminence of starting the dinner preparation process.

FAQs

What's a more formal way to say "I was preparing dinner"?

A more formal way to express "I was preparing dinner" could be "I was engaged in the preparation of dinner" or "I was in the process of preparing dinner". These options add a level of formality while conveying the same meaning.

What can I say instead of "I was preparing dinner" to emphasize the cooking aspect?

If you want to highlight the cooking, you could say "I was "I was cooking dinner"" or "I was in the midst of cooking the evening meal". These alternatives place more emphasis on the act of cooking.

How do I use "I was preparing dinner" in a sentence?

You can use "I was preparing dinner" to set the scene or provide context for another action. For example, "I was preparing dinner, listening to the radio, when I heard the news".

Is "I was preparing supper" the same as "I was preparing dinner"?

The terms "supper" and "dinner" are often used interchangeably, although "supper" tends to be more common in some regional dialects. Therefore, saying "I was preparing supper" is generally equivalent to "I was preparing dinner".