that worked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that worked" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something was successful or effective in a particular context. Example: "After several attempts to fix the issue, I finally found a solution, and that worked."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That's a transfer that worked.

The New York Times

I found this great proverb that worked".

The New York Times - Arts

This was a statute that worked.

The New York Times

Yeah, that worked real well in Philly.

The New York Times

As an election strategy, that worked.

The Economist

"It's amazing how well that worked".

The New York Times - Tech

It was a culture that worked nonstop.

The New York Times

Sunday was the only day that worked.

The New York Times

Botox was the only strategy that worked.

The New York Times

Remember how well that worked last time?

The New York Times

Finding a program that worked was.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that worked" to concisely express that a particular method, strategy, or action was successful in achieving its intended purpose.

Common error

While acceptable in many situations, avoid overusing "that worked" in highly formal writing. Opt for more sophisticated alternatives like "that proved effective" or "that achieved the desired outcome" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that worked" functions as a declarative statement affirming the success or effectiveness of a prior action or strategy. As shown in the Ludwig examples, it confirms a positive outcome after an attempt or implementation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Wiki

5%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "that worked" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate the success or effectiveness of something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across varied contexts, particularly in news and media. While suitable for most situations, more formal alternatives may be preferred in certain professional settings. Use "that worked" to succinctly convey a positive outcome, and consider related phrases like ""that was successful"" or ""that proved effective"" to refine your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that was successful

Replaces the verb "worked" with a more direct adjective describing the outcome.

that proved effective

Uses "proved effective" to highlight the demonstrable impact of something.

that achieved the desired result

More formal, emphasizing the attainment of a specific goal.

that produced the intended outcome

Similar to the previous, but focuses on the planned or intended result.

that turned out well

More casual, suggesting a positive conclusion after some uncertainty.

that was fruitful

Emphasizes the beneficial or productive nature of the effort.

that bore fruit

Figurative, indicating that effort yielded positive results.

that did the trick

Informal, suggesting that something effectively solved a problem.

that solved the problem

Focuses on the problem-solving aspect of the action.

that accomplished the objective

Formal and specific, stressing the achievement of a defined objective.

FAQs

What does the phrase "that worked" mean?

The phrase "that worked" means that something was successful or effective in achieving its intended purpose or solving a problem.

What can I say instead of "that worked"?

You can use alternatives like "that was successful", "that proved effective", or "that achieved the desired result" depending on the context.

Is "that worked" formal or informal?

"That worked" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both informal and semi-formal contexts. However, for highly formal writing, more sophisticated alternatives might be preferable.

How to use "that worked" in a sentence?

You can use "that worked" in a sentence to indicate the success of a previous action or strategy. For example: "I tried a new method, and "that worked"." Or "The new software implementation was challenging, but in the end, "that worked" out pretty well."