spent considerable time and effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "spent 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: "The team spent considerable time and effort developing the new software application to ensure it met all user requirements."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

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

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

For much of the last year, Steven Madden executives have spent considerable time and effort trying to convince Wall Street that the company will continue to flourish in the event Mr. Madden went to prison.

The New York Times

At eighteen he spent considerable time and effort at editing these manuscripts into the long coherent treatise that they became in his hands.

SEP

Over the course of the study, the teachers spent considerable time and effort making sense of this school vision and molding it to fit their own goals and needs, as well as to the needs of the students at the school.

International Journal of STEM Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

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

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

On the old-economy side, Netflix spends considerable time and effort perfecting the red envelopes it uses to mail DVD's to minimize weight, maximize protection for the discs and enhance the speed at which the envelopes can be processed by the Postal Service.

The New York Times

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

Several interviewees mentioned a lack of standardisation and the consequent need for researchers to spend considerable time and effort to explain exactly what the data mean and how they were collected.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "spent considerable time and effort" when you want to emphasize the amount of resources—both time and energy—dedicated to a particular task or project. It conveys a sense of serious commitment and diligence.

Common error

Avoid using "spent considerable time and effort" in conjunction with other words that already imply a significant investment of resources. For example, saying "spent considerable time and effort striving" can be redundant, as 'striving' already implies effort.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spent considerable time and effort" functions as a verbal phrase that typically acts as part of the predicate in a sentence. It describes the action of dedicating significant resources to a specific task or activity. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "spent considerable time and effort" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe dedicating significant resources to a task. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase conveys a sense of commitment and diligence. While versatile, it's often found in professional or neutral contexts such as News & Media and Science. Alternatives like "invested significant time and resources" offer similar meanings with slight variations in tone and emphasis. Avoiding redundancy and being mindful of the context will help writers effectively use this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

invested a great deal of time and energy

Focuses on the investment aspect, emphasizing the resources committed.

dedicated substantial time and resources

Highlights the dedication and resources allocated.

devoted significant energy and attention

Emphasizes the energy and focus directed toward a specific goal.

put a lot of work and thought into

More informal, emphasizing the labor and mental effort.

labored extensively

Formal and emphasizes the hard work involved.

worked diligently for an extended period

Highlights the consistent and dedicated work over time.

committed considerable resources and manpower

Focuses on commitment of resources including personnel.

exerted much effort over a long duration

Emphasizes the sustained exertion of effort.

poured considerable energy and focus

Uses a metaphor to convey the intensity of the effort.

strove assiduously

Very formal, highlighting persistent and careful effort.

FAQs

How can I use "spent considerable time and effort" in a sentence?

You can use "spent considerable time and effort" to describe dedicating significant resources to a task. For example, "The team "spent considerable time and effort" developing the new software." or "She "spent considerable time and effort" researching the topic."

What's a more formal alternative to "spent considerable time and effort"?

A more formal alternative would be "invested significant time and resources". This phrase carries a similar meaning but sounds more appropriate in professional or academic settings.

Is it okay to say "invested considerable time and effort" instead of "spent considerable time and effort"?

Yes, "invested considerable time and effort" is a perfectly acceptable alternative. It emphasizes the idea of putting resources into something with the expectation of a return, whether that's a tangible product or a positive outcome.

How does "devoted considerable time and effort" differ from "spent considerable time and effort"?

"Devoted considerable time and effort" /s/devoted+considerable+time+and+effort emphasizes a sense of dedication or commitment to the task at hand, while "spent considerable time and effort" focuses more on the allocation of resources.