Used and loved by millions
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
it costed me
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "it costed me" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct past tense of "cost" is "cost," so the phrase should be "it cost me." Example: "The new laptop cost me a fortune."
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
News & Media
Science
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
2 human-written examples
The price to illegally leave the country took a serious hit at this time, it costed me 8000 Dinars in total (4000 Euros Approx).. My father was saving this money for pilgrimage in Mecca..
News & Media
I went to the private clinic for ANC and it costed me around half of my total pregnancy related expenses.
Science
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
58 human-written examples
It cost me $3.
News & Media
It cost me about 50p.
News & Media
It cost me a fortune".
News & Media
It cost me a marriage.
News & Media
It cost me around $500.
News & Media
It costs me 50 cents.
News & Media
It costs me nothing".
News & Media
It cost me £15.
News & Media
It cost me money.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Always use the correct past tense form "cost" instead of "costed". For example, write "It cost me a lot of money" instead of "It costed me a lot of money".
Common error
Avoid using "costed" as the past tense of "cost". "Cost" is an irregular verb where the past tense and past participle are the same as the base form.
Source & Trust
89%
Authority and reliability
2.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "it costed me" is an incorrect usage. The correct form is "it cost me", where "cost" serves as the verb indicating the price or consequence incurred. Ludwig AI identifies this as a grammatical error.
Frequent in
News & Media
50%
Science
50%
Formal & Business
0%
Less common in
Academia
0%
Encyclopedias
0%
Wiki
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, "it costed me" is grammatically incorrect. The correct past tense of "cost" is "cost". As Ludwig AI points out, the proper phrasing is "it cost me". While there are a few instances of "it costed me" found online, it's crucial to use the correct form to maintain credibility and clarity in your writing. Alternative phrases such as "it set me back" or "i paid" can also be used depending on the context.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
it cost me
Corrects the grammatical error by using the correct past tense of "cost".
it set me back
Replaces "cost" with "set back" to indicate a financial or other burden.
it ran me
Uses "ran" idiomatically to mean "cost" in a financial sense.
i paid
Simplifies the sentence to focus on the act of paying.
i was charged
Focuses on the action of being charged a specific amount.
it required me to pay
Emphasizes the obligation to pay a cost.
it incurred a cost of
More formal way to specify that a cost was incurred.
it demanded
Expresses the cost as something required or demanded.
i expended
Formal way to mention cost as expenditure of resources.
i laid out
Informal way to mention the action of spending some money.
FAQs
Is it correct to say "it costed me"?
No, the correct past tense of "cost" is "cost". You should say "it cost me".
What is a more formal way to say "it cost me"?
In a formal context, you could say "it incurred a cost of" or "it demanded".
What are some alternatives to "it cost me" that don't focus solely on money?
Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "it set me back" to imply a setback or difficulty, or focus on the outcome of a situation.
How do I use "cost" correctly in the past tense?
Remember that "cost" is an irregular verb where the past tense is the same as the base form. For example, "The repairs it cost me a fortune last year".
Editing plus AI, all in one place.
Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
89%
Authority and reliability
2.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested