that was concern

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that was concern" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an incomplete thought and lacks clarity. Example: "I felt that was concern for his well-being when he called me."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Layered on top of that was concern about escalating gasoline prices and a succession of rainy weekends that kept some house hunters away.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

There are some trends that are concerning.

Huffington Post

If it never went away -- that was concerning.

The New York Times

And that's concerning.

The New York Times

That's concerning.

The New Yorker

That's concerning isn't it?

The Guardian

Alexa Chung is her heiress apparent where that is concerned.

Independent

"As far as that's concerned, I feel responsible".

The New York Times

As far as that's concerned, no".

BBC

"That's concerning for us.

Vice

"That is concerning," Wallace said.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that "concern" is preceded by an article ("a" or "the") or an adjective to properly function as a noun in the sentence. For example, use "that was a concern" or "that was my main concern".

Common error

Avoid using "concern" directly after "was" without an article or adjective to specify what kind of concern or whose concern it is. This can lead to grammatically incorrect sentences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that was concern" functions as part of a clause expressing a past state related to worry or unease. While grammatically questionable, Ludwig provides examples where similar constructions appear, suggesting an attempt to convey a feeling or acknowledgment of concern.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "that was concern" is grammatically incorrect, typically requiring an article or possessive pronoun before "concern". Ludwig identifies the phrase as not correct in standard written English. While examples can be found, mostly in News & Media and Science contexts, it's best to use grammatically correct alternatives such as "that was a concern" or "that was my concern". When writing, ensure that "concern" is properly quantified with an article or adjective to improve clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that was a matter of concern

Adds more formal phrasing to express that something was worthy of consideration and worry.

that was a worry

Adds the article 'a' to make the phrase grammatically correct and uses 'worry' as a noun.

that caused worry

Replaces 'concern' with 'worry' and uses 'caused' to create a clearer causal relationship.

that raised concern

Emphasizes the action of 'raising' concern, highlighting the act of causing worry.

that gave rise to concern

Emphasizes that something led to the development or emergence of concern.

that was alarming

Replaces 'concern' with 'alarming', intensifying the level of worry or unease.

that was troubling

Replaces 'concern' with 'troubling', highlighting the disturbing or unsettling nature of the situation.

that prompted unease

Uses 'unease' instead of 'concern', focusing on the feeling of discomfort or anxiety.

that made me anxious

Shifts the focus to the personal feeling of anxiety caused by something.

that engendered apprehension

Uses more formal and literary language to convey a feeling of fear or dread.

FAQs

How to correctly phrase sentences using the word "concern"?

Ensure "concern" is preceded by an article (a, the) or possessive pronoun (my, his, her, its, our, your, their) to specify what or whose concern it is. For instance, say "That was a concern" or "That was my concern" instead of "That was concern".

What are some alternatives to "that was concern"?

You can use alternatives like "that was a worry", "that raised concern", or "that was alarming" depending on the context.

Is "that was concern" grammatically correct?

No, "that was concern" is not grammatically correct. It is better to say "that was a concern" or "that was my concern".

What's the difference between "that was concern" and "that was a concern"?

"That was concern" is grammatically incorrect because it lacks an article before "concern". The correct form, "that was a concern", includes the indefinite article "a", making it grammatically sound.