it was costing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was costing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an ongoing expense or the act of incurring costs in the past. Example: "At that time, it was costing us more than we had anticipated to maintain the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Unfortunately, Earthport withdrew its Sendcash service in April: it was costing too much to pay Barclays for the service.

The Economist

It was costing China three per cent of its gross domestic product; that would be two hundred billion dollars today — more than the national budget for education.

The New Yorker

Faced with high unemployment and an economic crisis, Spain slashed its generous subsidy for the panels last year because it was costing too much.

The New York Times

It was costing her a fortune.

The Guardian

It was costing thirty dollars a month in kerosene.

The New Yorker

Church officials declined to say how much it was costing.

The New York Times

So they were just sitting around doing nothing, and it was costing us money".

The New York Times

Salazar spotted that it was because Farah was overstriding and it was costing him speed.

The Guardian - Sport

And when he was designing for himself, he didn't want to know what it was costing".

The New York Times

It was costing her too much for heating and light, Ms. Romero said.

The New York Times

"You know, I was worried that it was costing a lot of dough.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider stronger verbs if you want to emphasize the impact of the cost, such as "draining" or "depleting".

Common error

Avoid using "it was costing" when the active voice would be clearer and more direct. For example, instead of "It was costing the company a fortune", consider "The company was spending a fortune."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was costing" functions as a verb phrase in the past continuous tense. It describes an action (costing) that was in progress at a specific time in the past. Ludwig provides many examples of this usage, confirming its grammatical validity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Science

3%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it was costing" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase to describe an ongoing financial expense in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct. It predominantly appears in news and media sources, indicating its neutrality and broad applicability. While alternatives exist, they often carry subtle differences in formality or emphasis. Remember to ensure the context clearly defines what "it" refers to for clarity, and consider active voice constructions for more directness. Overall, "it was costing" is a reliable and versatile phrase for expressing financial implications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it entailed expenses

Focuses on the expenses involved; slightly more formal.

it required expenditure

Highlights the need for spending; slightly more formal and emphasizes the requirement.

it incurred charges

Emphasizes the imposition of charges or fees.

it amounted to

Focuses on the total sum of expenses.

it came to

Informal way to indicate the final price or expense.

it took a toll

Implies a negative impact or strain due to expenses.

it drained resources

Emphasizes the depletion of available resources.

it proved expensive

Highlights the high cost associated with something.

the price was

Simply stating the price. Shorter and more direct.

the expense reached

Highlights the fact that the expense amount reached a certain level.

FAQs

How to use "it was costing" in a sentence?

Use "it was costing" to describe an ongoing expense or financial burden in the past. For example, "The project was delayed, and "it was costing" us money daily".

What can I say instead of "it was costing"?

You can use alternatives like "it entailed expenses", "it required expenditure", or "it incurred charges" depending on the context.

Is "it was costing" grammatically correct?

Yes, "it was costing" is grammatically correct. It uses the past continuous tense of the verb "cost" to describe an ongoing expense in the past.

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

"It cost" refers to a completed action in the past, while "it was costing" refers to an action that was ongoing in the past. For example, "The repair "it cost" $500" (completed), versus "The constant repairs meant "it was costing" us a lot of money over time" (ongoing).