it was cost

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence as written is not correct or usable in written English.
To make it correct, you need to change "was" to "cost." For example, "It cost me twenty dollars for the ticket."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

These depressing figures take us back to the time when it was cost, not ability, that determined your future".

The Guardian

Mr. Stibel said the Putnam plan was chosen because it was "cost effective" and also because Nevada was "neutral" for the company; it doesn't have any employees there.

The New York Times

Some 71% of the public sector institutions which hold the Catering Mark report that achieving it was cost neutral and 29% report overall cost savings.

The Guardian

That quirk of fate, and that is all it was, cost Woods four shots and triggered all manner of controversy regarding the legitimacy of him remaining in the field.

The Guardian - Sport

"During the period of economic change, feasibility studies were carried out to determine the best way of developing Alpha Park, to ensure it was cost effective.

BBC

For instance, the public cloud may offer us the ability to take risks on businesses in countries where, in the past, it was cost prohibitive to set up a datacenter with a big infrastructure.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

It was cost-prohibitive, too".

The New York Times - Tech

"I considered conventional radio, but as a start-up company, it was cost-prohibitive for airtime.

The New York Times

Epstein noted how it was cost-effective and could be more reliable than signing free agents.

The New York Times

So chip companies would welcome a more energy-efficient way to move data around — if they were confident that it was cost-effective.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In years past, it was cost-effective for I.T. companies to hire new graduates by the thousands and keep a portion idle, awaiting deployment on a client project.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing costs, ensure your sentence structure clearly indicates who or what incurred the cost. Use active voice to make your writing more direct and easier to understand.

Common error

Avoid using "was" when you mean "cost". The correct phrasing would typically involve using "cost" as a verb, such as "it cost me" or "it costs".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was cost" is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates that the correct usage requires "cost" to function as a verb. Its intended function seems to describe the financial implications or expenses related to something.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was cost" is generally grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct form typically involves using "cost" as a verb (e.g., "it cost"). While the phrase appears in various sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, this doesn't validate its correctness; instead, it highlights a potential error in writing. When you aim to express the financial implications or expenses, ensure you use "cost" correctly in your sentences, or choose alternatives such as "it incurred a cost" or "it had a price tag" for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it incurred a cost

Focuses on the act of incurring a cost, rather than a state of being.

it had a price tag

Emphasizes the presence of a specific price or value.

it came at a price

Highlights the negative consequences or sacrifices involved.

it represented an expense

Uses more formal language to describe the cost as an expenditure.

it required an investment

Frames the cost as a necessary investment for future returns.

it was priced

Indicates that something was assigned a specific price.

it involved expenditure

Focuses on the action of spending money.

it carried a fee

Specifies that a fee was associated with something.

it necessitated payment

Highlights the requirement to pay for something.

it demanded funds

Stresses the need for financial resources.

FAQs

How should I correctly use the word "cost" in a sentence?

Use "cost" as a verb to indicate the amount something requires in payment or sacrifice. For example, "The ticket "cost twenty dollars"" is correct, whereas "it was cost" is not.

What is a more grammatically sound alternative to "it was cost"?

A grammatically correct alternative depends on the intended meaning. If you want to express the price of something, use "it cost". If you're talking about the expense being worthwhile, consider "it was cost effective".

Is it ever correct to use "it was cost" in a sentence?

No, "it was cost" is not grammatically correct in standard English. You should rephrase the sentence to use "cost" as a verb, such as "it cost" or "it costs".

What's the difference between saying "it was cost" and "it cost"?

"It was cost" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "it cost", which indicates the price or expense associated with something.