it was holiday

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "It was holiday" is correct and usable in written English.
This sentence could be used when describing a past event, such as "It was a holiday weekend, so we decided to take a trip to the beach."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

It was holiday time, so there were stacks of tinned Christmas cakes and "selection boxes," mixed assortments of chocolates.

The New York Times

And of those, one said it was holiday time so he could not help and another said that the property scene was "boring".

The New York Times

"I conducted the Bach Christmas Oratorio at Carnegie Hall," he said, "and I can remember feeling very out of sorts but thinking it was holiday time, and we have two kids, and it's always busy, and I'm just stressed out and stuff".

The New York Times - Arts

It was holiday time on Spike's "Lip Sync Battle" Thursday, and boy, we must've been good this year.

Huffington Post

Do you remember when it was holiday time at your house, and just how excited you were as a kid on Christmas morning to open the presents under the tree?

Huffington Post

Secondly, the timing of the implementation is mentioned as a barrier; " Maybe the implementation period influenced implementation, it was holiday season at that time" (AAC).

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Sure, it was holiday-time: daily matches, skiving from work, the cities aglitter with flags and foreigners.

The Guardian - Sport

IT is holiday time.

The New York Times

It's holiday gift-set time.

The New York Times

Nov. 21-27: They can't believe that it's holiday season again already!

The New Yorker

'Because it's holiday time I put some red sprinkles on the top,' Berns explained.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it was holiday" to describe a past event or situation specifically related to a holiday period. For instance, "It was holiday time, so the shops were crowded."

Common error

Be aware that while "holiday" and "vacation" are often used interchangeably, "holiday" tends to refer more specifically to nationally or culturally recognized days of celebration, while "vacation" refers to any extended period of leisure. Avoid saying "It was holiday" when you mean a general trip.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was holiday" primarily functions as a declarative statement indicating that a particular time was recognized as a holiday. As shown in Ludwig's examples, it sets a temporal context, explaining why certain events or conditions were occurring.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was holiday" serves to establish a temporal context, indicating that something occurred during a holiday period. Ludwig AI shows that it is grammatically correct and usable, though relatively uncommon. The phrase is most frequently found in news and media contexts. To enhance clarity, consider alternative phrases like "it was a vacation" or "it was a public holiday" for more formal settings or specific meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

It was a vacation

Replaces "holiday" with "vacation", another term for a period of leisure.

It was a day off

Substitutes "holiday" with "day off", emphasizing the aspect of not working.

It was a public holiday

Clarifies that the holiday was observed by the general public.

It was a festive occasion

Replaces the entire phrase with a more descriptive and formal alternative.

It was a time of celebration

Focuses on the celebratory aspect of a holiday.

It was recess

Replaces holiday with recess, referring to time off during school or work.

It was my time off

Emphasizes that it was time off, but specifically belonging to the speaker.

It was a break from routine

Highlights the change from regular activities associated with a holiday.

It was an official rest day

Replaces the entire phrase with a more formal and precise phrasing.

It marked a period of leisure

Changes it to a description of leisure, replacing "holiday" as a marker for time.

FAQs

How can I use "it was holiday" in a sentence?

You can use "it was holiday" to describe a past situation connected with a holiday period. For example, "It was holiday, so we decided to visit family."

What's a more formal way to say "it was holiday"?

For a more formal tone, consider alternatives like "it was a festive occasion" or "it was a public holiday", depending on the specific context.

Is "holiday" the same as "vacation"?

While similar, "holiday" typically refers to a specific celebratory day or period, whereas "vacation" is a more general term for a longer period of leisure. Saying "it was a vacation" implies a longer trip.

What can I say instead of "it was holiday" to emphasize time off?

To emphasize the aspect of not working, you could say "it was a day off" or "it was time off".