it was was

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was was" is not correct in written English.
It appears to be a typographical error or a repetition that does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "I thought it was was a mistake, but it turned out to be intentional."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

What it was was fear".

The New York Times

What it was was solid.

The New Yorker

This thing, whatever it was, was important.

The New Yorker

What it was was dull.

The New York Times

It was was a staggeringly beautiful animal.

The Guardian

It was was "a landmark first novel".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

9 human-written examples

It's was tough!

Unicef

"It's being interdependent".

The New York Times

It's been clinical.

The New York Times

It's been sharp.

The New York Times - Sports

It's been memorable!

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid repeating "was" consecutively. Proofread your writing to catch and correct such errors, ensuring clarity and grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Be mindful of unnecessary repetition. The phrase "it was was" often arises from a slip of the fingers or a momentary lapse in attention. Train yourself to review your sentences for such redundancies before finalizing your text.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was was" functions as an incorrect or ungrammatical construction. It is a result of repetition, rather than serving a defined grammatical purpose. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase isn't correct.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was was" is an ungrammatical construction resulting from unintended repetition. Ludwig AI underscores its incorrectness, making it unsuitable for use in any formal or informal writing. When you need to describe a past state, remember to avoid repetitive phrasing and consider more appropriate alternatives such as "it was", or "it used to be", ensuring clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was

Removes the repetition, correcting the grammatical error.

it had been

Offers a past perfect tense if the context implies a prior state.

what it was

Rephrases to emphasize the nature or identity of something in the past.

it actually was

Adds emphasis to the truth or reality of a past state.

it definitely was

Strengthens the affirmation of a past condition or event.

it certainly was

Similar to 'definitely', reinforcing the certainty of the past state.

that's what it was

Expresses confirmation or clarification of a past situation.

it used to be

Indicates a state or condition that existed in the past but may no longer be true.

as it was

Describes the condition or state of something at a particular time in the past.

it happened to be

Suggests a chance or coincidental occurrence in the past.

FAQs

How should I correct the phrase "it was was" in a sentence?

In most cases, simply remove the extra "was". The corrected sentence will typically read "it was" followed by the appropriate complement or description.

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

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "it certainly was", "it definitely was", or "it actually was" to add emphasis.

Is "it was was" ever grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "it was was" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It is generally considered a mistake or typo.

What can I say instead of "it was" to describe a past state or condition?

Consider using phrases like "it used to be" if the state no longer exists, or "as it was" to describe the condition at a specific point in the past.