it really working

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it really working" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "is it really working"? You can use this phrase when inquiring about the effectiveness or functionality of something, typically in a conversational context. Example: "I've been using this new software for a week now, and I'm starting to wonder, is it really working?"

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Is it really working?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Is it really working?"' Ms. Hittleman said, adding that in most instances, the touch of a good therapist can achieve a similar, or better, effect.

The New York Times

"She had all the frames in a plastic bag," said Mr. Burstell, who is now the managing director for Liberty in London, adding with a hoot, "She pulled some of them out and was modeling some of the frames for me, really getting into it, really working it.

The New York Times

Is it strong enough, is it really working, is it touching me, is it sentimental, is it powerful?

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It really worked.

The New York Times

Did it really work?

The New York Times

Plus, it really works.

The New York Times - Food

So it really worked.

Independent

He says it really works.

The New Yorker

Can it really work?

The Guardian

Will it really work?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When asking about the functionality of something, use the grammatically correct form: "Is "it really working"?"

Common error

Ensure correct grammar by including the auxiliary verb "is" before "it". The phrase "it really working" is grammatically incorrect. Instead, ask "Is "it really working"?".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it really working" functions as an incomplete interrogative clause. As Ludwig AI points out, it lacks the auxiliary verb "is" to form a grammatically correct question. Examples found often correct this to "is it really working?"

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it really working" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing and speech. The correct form is "is it really working?". Ludwig AI emphasizes this grammatical error. While the phrase appears in some contexts, primarily in News & Media and Science, it is relatively rare. When corrected, it serves to inquire about the effectiveness or functionality of something in a neutral register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is it actually working

Changes the structure to a question and uses "actually" instead of "really" for emphasis.

is it truly effective

Replaces "really working" with "truly effective" to emphasize effectiveness.

is it genuinely functioning

Substitutes "really working" with "genuinely functioning" for a more formal tone.

does it truly work

Reformulates the phrase into a question using "work" as a verb instead of the participle "working".

is it effectively operating

Replaces "really working" with "effectively operating" to focus on operational effectiveness.

is it properly running

Uses "properly running" in place of "really working" to denote correct operation.

is it successfully executing

Changes the phrase to focus on successful execution rather than general functionality.

is it yielding results

Shifts the focus to whether the subject is producing expected outcomes.

is it producing results

Focuses on the production of results rather than the process of working.

is it showing progress

Alters the emphasis to whether the subject is demonstrating advancement.

FAQs

What is the correct way to ask if something is functioning well?

The correct way to ask if something is functioning well is, "Is "it really working"?". You can also use alternatives such as, "is it actually working" or "is it truly effective".

What can I say instead of "it really working"?

Instead of "it really working", you can say, "is it really working", "is it actually working", or "is it truly effective".

Which is correct, "it really working" or "is it really working"?

"Is it really working" is the grammatically correct form. "It really working" is missing the auxiliary verb "is".

When is it appropriate to use "is it really working" in a sentence?

Use "is it really working" when inquiring about the effectiveness or functionality of something, typically in a conversational context. For example, "I've been using this new software for a week now, and I'm starting to wonder, is it really working"?