it works was

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it works was" is not correct and usable in written English.
It appears to be a grammatical error, as "was" does not logically follow "it works" in standard English usage. Example: "It works well for our needs, but it was not what I expected."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"The way it works was not to the total satisfaction of our rabbinic administrator," Dr. Pollak said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The way it works is simple.

The New York Times

How it works is still uncertain.

The Economist

Making it work is quite another.

Forbes

Whether it actually works is another matter.

Los Angeles Times

Convincing investors it would work was hard.

Forbes

That it will work is not.

The New York Times

Whether it will work is another matter.

BBC

Making it work is hard".

Vice

"It's not working, is it?

Independent

So, it's not working, is it?

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "it works was". Instead, opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "it worked well" or "it functioned" to clearly convey past functionality.

Common error

Be mindful of tense agreement. Using "works" (present tense) with "was" (past tense) creates a grammatically incorrect construction. Choose the correct tense to accurately reflect the timing of the action.

Linguistic Context

It works was is not a standard grammatical construction in English. It appears to be an attempt to combine the present tense ("works") with the past tense ("was"), resulting in an incorrect phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

It works was is a grammatically incorrect phrase combining present and past tenses inappropriately. Ludwig AI confirms its non-standard usage. Instead, use alternatives such as "it worked well" or "it functioned" to accurately describe past functionality. Due to its grammatical error, this phrase is not suitable for formal, professional, or news contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it worked well

Focuses on the past effectiveness of something.

it functioned

Emphasizes the operational aspect in the past.

it operated

Similar to 'it functioned', stressing the action of working.

it used to work

Indicates that something was functional previously, but no longer is.

it has worked

Highlights that something has been effective up until now.

it was effective

Focuses on the past effectiveness of something.

it proved effective

Stresses that something has demonstrated its effectiveness.

it was in working order

Emphasizes that something was functional at a particular time.

it ran smoothly

Focuses on the efficiency and ease of operation in the past.

it performed adequately

Indicates a satisfactory level of performance in the past.

FAQs

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "it works was"?

Consider using phrases like "it worked well", "it functioned", or "it used to work" to convey the intended meaning accurately.

Is "it works was" ever considered correct in specific dialects or contexts?

While some non-standard dialects might deviate from standard English grammar, "it works was" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in formal and most informal contexts. It's best to use standard English for clarity and effective communication.

How can I ensure I'm using the correct tense when describing functionality?

Pay attention to the time frame you're referring to. If you're talking about something that functioned in the past, use past tense verbs like "worked", "functioned", or "operated". If it's currently functional, use present tense verbs like "works" or "functions".

Which is correct, "it works well" or "it worked well"?

"It works well" describes present functionality, while "it worked well" describes past functionality. The correct choice depends on whether you're talking about something that is currently working or something that worked in the past.