it was summer

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "it was summer" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in a variety of contexts, such as a description of a period in someone's life or a scene from a story. For example, "The sun shone brightly as he stepped outside; it was summer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

It was Summer 2002.

Huffington Post

LAMAY, Peru, April 2006 – It was summer when Diana and Evaristo met in Lima, Peru.

Unicef

It was summer, maybe the best summer of Lauren's life.

The New Yorker

It was summer.

The New Yorker

Outside, it was summer.

The New Yorker

It was summer camp.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

By then it was summer 2011 and South Sudan's independence had just become official.

Harvard University

It was yesterday; it is not today.

The New York Times

It was early August, 1954.

Forbes

(Hint: it was last year).

The New York Times

Like it was yesterday.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it was summer" to set the scene or establish a time frame in your writing. It's a simple and effective way to indicate the season without unnecessary detail.

Common error

Avoid adding too much descriptive language immediately after stating "it was summer". Let the subsequent sentences elaborate on the specific details of that particular summer instead of front-loading all the imagery.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was summer" functions primarily as a temporal marker, establishing the season in which the described events take place. Ludwig AI indicates its widespread use across various text types.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it was summer" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for setting a scene or establishing a time frame. According to Ludwig, it's considered correct and sees common usage. It is versatile enough to be used across different types of writing, though more frequently found in news articles and media. When using this phrase, it's important to let the subsequent sentences develop the imagery associated with summer rather than overloading the initial description.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was the summertime

Uses "summertime", a more informal term for summer.

summer had arrived

Focuses on the arrival of summer, rather than simply stating that it was summer.

it was during the summer months

Specifies the time period as being within the summer months.

the summer season was upon us

Emphasizes the entire summer season and its impact.

it was the season of warmth

Uses a more poetic description of summer.

the days were long and warm

Describes typical summer conditions, rather than directly stating the season.

the heat was intense

Focuses on the heat, a common characteristic of summer.

the sun shone brightly

Highlights a typical aspect of summer weather.

the cicadas were singing

Identifies a common sound associated with summer.

the air was thick with humidity

Describes a common atmospheric condition during summer.

FAQs

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

"It was summer" is often used at the beginning of a sentence or paragraph to set the scene. For example, "It was summer, and the days were long and lazy."

What are some alternatives to "it was summer"?

Alternatives include "summer had arrived", "the summertime", or "the summer season was upon us", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it grammatically correct to start a sentence with "it was summer"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to start a sentence with "it was summer". It's a common and accepted way to establish a temporal setting.

How does the phrase "it was summer" compare to "during the summer"?

"It was summer" is a more direct statement of the season, while "during the summer" is typically used to introduce an activity or event that occurred within that time. For example, "It was summer, and the sun shone brightly" versus "During the summer, we went on vacation".