spend considerable time and effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spend considerable time and effort" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the amount of time and energy dedicated to a task or project. Example: "To achieve the desired results, we must spend considerable time and effort on this initiative."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

While leaders spend considerable time and effort trying to envision markets and pushing out innovation, empathy can often generate simple, yet breakthrough ideas.

Harvard Business Review

Nonetheless, it must now spend considerable time and effort tracking the local content throughout its operations to satisfy government audits.Multinational enterprises have always been subject to the political idiosyncrasies of their host countries, and have learned to live with them.

The Economist

Many of the proposals amount to reductions in paperwork, the value of which Mr. Sunstein said should not be discounted because businesses spend considerable time and effort providing the government with required information.

The New York Times

Companies may also need to spend considerable time and effort addressing scaling issues that crop up further along in development, such as whether a product can be manufactured cost-effectively in large quantities.

Harvard Business Review

In conjunction with this work, we spend considerable time and effort on developing and refining means of measuring or observing the many factors at play in self-regulation.

Duke University

Faculty may spend considerable time and effort developing their expected learning outcomes, assignments and assessments, but the feedback loop that shapes how and what they teach often doesn't include student outcomes after graduation.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Economists have recently spent considerable time and effort trying to understand why some countries grow faster than others.

Stanford University

We spent considerable time and effort after my daughter was born trying to find the right childcare solution.

The Guardian

The vehicles were an option in the poll, mostly because Edison himself spent considerable time and effort trying to create transportation that was powered by electricity.

The New York Times

The sport's governing body also has spent considerable time and effort improving training for coaches, changing rules and raising awareness of the sport's dangers.

The Washington Post

There's a good reason for it, honest … Recently, a bunch of my fellow dinosaur scientists spent considerable time and effort making little model tails out of wooden sticks and clay, and then Velcro-ing them to chickens' bums.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To emphasize that the effort invested has been worthwhile, consider following this phrase with a description of the positive outcomes or results achieved.

Common error

Do not use "spend considerable time and effort" when the context already implies significant investment. For example, saying "They meticulously crafted the sculpture, spending considerable time and effort" is redundant since meticulous crafting inherently involves substantial dedication.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spend considerable time and effort" serves as a verb phrase, functioning to describe the action of allocating substantial resources to a particular task or endeavor. As Ludwig AI suggests, this phrase is both correct and appropriate for use in formal writing.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "spend considerable time and effort" is a grammatically sound phrase used to convey a significant investment of resources into a task or project. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across various writing contexts. It's most commonly found in news, scientific, and academic sources, making it suitable for professional and neutral registers. When using this phrase, be mindful of avoiding redundancy and consider more formal alternatives like "dedicate significant resources" for enhanced professionalism. Remember that while the phrase is common across multiple contexts, always consider the alternatives to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

dedicate substantial time and energy

Focuses on dedication and energy rather than just time and effort, implying a stronger commitment.

invest significant time and resources

Emphasizes the investment aspect, highlighting that time and effort are valuable resources.

devote considerable attention and resources

Prioritizes attention and broader resources, suggesting a focused and comprehensive approach.

put a lot of time and energy

More informal phrasing, suitable for casual contexts.

exert significant effort and time

Emphasizes the exertion or application of effort, implying a potentially difficult task.

labor extensively

Implies hard work and dedication over a period of time.

toil assiduously

Highlights persistent and diligent work, often in the face of challenges.

work diligently

Emphasizes the diligence and carefulness of the work performed.

immerse oneself fully

Suggests complete engagement and dedication, going beyond just time and effort.

throw oneself into

Implies enthusiastic and energetic engagement with a task or activity.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "spend considerable time and effort" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "dedicate significant resources" or "invest substantial time and energy". These options add a layer of professionalism to your writing.

Is it always necessary to specify both "time" and "effort" after the word spend?

While it's common to mention both, sometimes you can imply one. For example, "spend considerable time" might suffice if the effort is understood, or "devote considerable effort" if time is less relevant.

What's the difference between "spend considerable time and effort" and "make a concerted effort"?

"Spend considerable time and effort" focuses on the resources invested in a task, while "make a concerted effort" emphasizes a focused, organized attempt to achieve something. The former describes the investment, the latter the nature of the attempt.

What are some common situations where I might use the phrase "spend considerable time and effort"?

This phrase is typically used when discussing projects, research, or initiatives that require a large investment of resources. You might use it when describing the process of developing a new product, conducting a scientific study, or implementing a complex strategy, for example.