all was that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all was that" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete or incorrect expression that lacks context for proper usage. Example: "All was that I could think of was the past."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Most troubling of all was that few in Rome seemed to care.

The New Yorker

The irony of it all was that Hindley was one of the few success stories of our prison system.

The Guardian

Not all was that intense on the set of "In Treatment," which was shot from November to March at the Silvercup Studios in Long Island City, Queens.

The New York Times - Arts

He said the only reason he could attend college at all was that Baruch is part of the City University of New York system.

The New York Times

The biggest shocker of all was that Dior exec Sidney Toledano attended the presentation — to support the staff, he said.

Los Angeles Times

Socrates' final lesson, after all, was that he knew nothing.

The New Yorker

Perhaps most shocking of all was that Triana had been one of Carrasco's protegees.

The Guardian

It was extraordinary, and most extraordinary of all was that everyone was furtively rubbernecking everybody else.

The New Yorker

The worst thing of all was that it was the books that were the most insidious poison.

The Guardian - Books

The oddest element of all was that the N.F.L. would allow these interlopers from other sports on its premises.

The New York Times - Sports

The weird part of it all was that, for a long time, no one was listening to Miltown.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for grammatical accuracy, consider rephrasing "all was that" to "all that was" or "what was" followed by your intended clause. This ensures clarity and correctness in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "all was that" when you mean "all that was". The former is grammatically awkward and can confuse readers. Always double-check your sentence structure to ensure clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all was that" functions as a connector introducing a statement or explanation. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is generally considered grammatically incorrect, needing rephrasing for clarity and grammatical accuracy.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "all was that" appears frequently across diverse sources like The New Yorker, The Guardian, and The New York Times, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically questionable. The intended function is typically to emphasize a key point or outcome, yet the phrasing often requires adjustment for clarity and correctness. For more formal or precise writing, alternatives like "all that was" or rephrasing the sentence entirely are recommended to avoid ambiguity and ensure grammatical soundness. Therefore, while the phrase is common, writers should exercise caution and consider more grammatically sound alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

all that was

Reverses the order of 'all' and 'was', creating a grammatically standard phrase.

everything that was

Substitutes "all" with "everything" to emphasize totality.

the entirety of that

Employs more formal vocabulary to denote the whole of something.

the sum of it was

Uses 'sum' to suggest a conclusive result or summary.

the culmination was that

Indicates that something is the final result of a process.

most importantly

Highlights the most significant aspect of what follows.

above all else

Emphasizes the supreme importance of a particular element.

primarily

Focuses on the main or fundamental aspect.

essentially

Indicates the basic or fundamental nature of something.

in essence

Similar to "essentially", but phrased differently for emphasis.

FAQs

How can I correctly use a phrase similar to "all was that" in a sentence?

To use a similar phrase correctly, consider rephrasing it as "all that was" or "what was". For example, instead of "All was that I needed was rest", try "All that was needed was rest".

What are some alternatives to "all was that" that maintain a similar meaning?

Alternatives include "the main thing was", "the most important thing was", or simply rephrasing the sentence for clarity.

Is "all was that" grammatically correct, and if not, why?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "all was that" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. A more standard phrasing would be "all that was", which provides better grammatical structure and clarity.

What's the difference between "all was that" and "all that was"?

"All was that" is an awkward phrasing that doesn't conform to standard English grammar. "All that was" is grammatically correct and commonly used to introduce a statement about something's entirety or sum.