that was valuable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that was valuable" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express appreciation for something that provided worth or significance in a past context. Example: "The feedback you provided during the meeting was insightful, and I want to emphasize that was valuable to our project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

"We facilitated an understanding and an agreement that was valuable to the government of Macedonia".

The New York Times

But the rest of it (a good marriage, children, work that was valuable) seemed like everything you'd hope to find when looking up an old friend.

The New York Times

An aircraft-leasing unit that was valuable to AIG when it had a high credit rating but has been a drag ever since will be offloaded, too.

The Economist

General Abizaid said that Ali Hassan al-Majid, a cousin and adviser to Mr. Hussein, who is known by his nickname, Chemical Ali, had provided information that was "valuable in some ways," since his was captured earlier this month.

The New York Times

All of the disclosures were of information that was valuable to the public debate of United States war tactics, intelligence gathering and privacy concerns, with no documentable damage to national security interests.

The Guardian - Opinion

There was no point in trying to monetise it, because it wasn't the platform itself that was valuable; it was the networks created by users that made it interesting and useful.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

Books that were valuable in some way were saved.

The New Yorker

It's adding information that's valuable to them".

The New Yorker

-Do you have objects that are valuable to you but might not be valuable to others?

The New York Times

They often collect information that is valuable to public debate.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Things that were valuable in more ways than one.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that was valuable" when referring to specific past instances where something demonstrably provided benefit, insight, or positive impact. Ensure the context clearly establishes the past timeframe.

Common error

Avoid using "that was valuable" to describe something currently valuable. Instead, use "that is valuable" or "that is proving valuable" to reflect present worth.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that was valuable" functions as a subject complement, providing additional information about the subject ('that'). It acts as a subjective predicative expression, as supported by Ludwig AI, which confirms its correct usage in expressing a past state of value or significance.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

16%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "that was valuable" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to express the past worth or significance of something. According to Ludwig, it is suitable for a variety of contexts, particularly in news and media, scientific, and encyclopedic sources. While it carries a neutral register, it is important to use it correctly to indicate that something was valuable in the past, as mentioned by Ludwig AI. Related phrases like "that proved beneficial" or "that had significant worth" can be used as alternatives to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that had significant worth

Directly replaces "valuable" with "significant worth", emphasizing the importance or value of something.

that proved beneficial

Replaces "valuable" with "beneficial", focusing on the positive outcome or advantage provided.

that was advantageous

Substitutes "valuable" with "advantageous", highlighting the favorable or helpful nature of something.

it was quite helpful

Highlights the helpfulness of something.

that turned out useful

Emphasizes the practicality and utility of something in the past.

it proved to be an asset

Highlights that something has added a benefit or a resource.

it was a worthwhile endeavor

Shifts the focus to the effort or activity being valuable, rather than a specific item or piece of information.

it held considerable merit

Replaces "valuable" with "considerable merit", indicating that something has significant quality or worth.

that served its purpose well

Focuses on the effective fulfillment of a specific purpose or function.

it brought considerable advantages

Suggests the advantages of something were the main focus.

FAQs

How can I use "that was valuable" in a sentence?

You can use "that was valuable" to express appreciation for something that provided worth or significance in a past context. For example, "The feedback you provided during the meeting was insightful, and I want to emphasize "that was valuable" to our project."

What are some alternatives to "that was valuable"?

You can use alternatives like "that proved beneficial", "that was advantageous", or "that turned out useful" depending on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "that was valuable"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "That" is a demonstrative pronoun, "was" is the past tense of the verb "to be", and "valuable" is an adjective. The phrase correctly describes something that held value in the past.

What's the difference between "that is valuable" and "that was valuable"?

"That is valuable" refers to something currently possessing worth or importance. "That was valuable" refers to something that possessed worth or importance in the past but may or may not still hold the same value.