they were doing construction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'they were doing construction' is correct and can be used in written English.
For example: "The workers were doing construction on the building when the earthquake hit."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"They were doing construction.

The New York Times

"I knew they were doing construction.

The New York Times

They were doing construction at a site by my mom's house.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Sometimes it will be a general observation such as 'that's a bad area of town' or 'they are doing construction and very noisy' but I've also heard disparaging comments about other hotel owners or their family.

Huffington Post

"The guys who were doing construction were jumping off the scaffolding to help".

The New York Times

If the loan officer (sales person) can answer these questions with no problem then they have passed a pretty good litmus test: How long have you been doing construction loans?

WikiHow

"Who doesn't disturb the neighbors when you're doing construction?" he asked.

The New York Times

"In a couple of months we could be doing construction work," Dalton said.

The New York Times - Sports

Bello was so moved that he left Texas, where he was doing construction work, and resettled in Yellow Springs.

The New York Times - Magazine

She was studying at the Rhode Island School of Design and living in Providence; he was doing construction in Newport, where he lived.

The New York Times

Also, we have been redecorating the house and, besides keeping things ticking along for the family, I have been doing construction work myself and managing the workmen.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "they were doing construction" when you want to generally describe the act of building or creating something without specifying the exact nature of the work.

Common error

While "they were doing construction" is correct, be specific about the type of construction if possible. For example, say "they were building a house" or "they were repairing the road" for greater clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were doing construction" functions as a statement describing an activity in progress in the past. Ludwig AI confirms it as correct. It indicates that a group of people were actively involved in building or assembling something.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "they were doing construction" is a grammatically correct and neutrally registered phrase used to describe building or assembling activities performed by a group of people in the past. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, specifying the type of construction enhances clarity. The phrase appears mostly in news and media contexts, although not very frequently overall. More specific alternatives may sometimes be more effective. It's a statement of fact describing a past event.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were building

Focuses more specifically on the act of building something.

they were constructing

A more concise way to say they were in the process of building.

they were carrying out construction work

Adds emphasis to the type of work being performed.

they were engaged in construction

More formal way to describe the activity.

they were working on a construction project

Highlights the project aspect of the construction.

they were erecting

Suggests the act of building something tall or large.

they were undertaking building activities

More formal and emphasizes the variety of building tasks.

they were assembling

Implies putting together pre-made parts.

they were putting up

Informal way of saying they were constructing something.

they were fabricating

Suggests creating or manufacturing something.

FAQs

How can I use "they were doing construction" in a sentence?

You can use "they were doing construction" to describe an ongoing building or repair activity, for example: "They were doing construction on the highway, causing traffic delays."

What's a more formal alternative to "they were doing construction"?

A more formal alternative is "they were engaged in construction", which is suitable for business or academic contexts.

What can I say instead of "they were doing construction" to be more specific?

To be more specific, you could say "they were building", "they were erecting a new building", or "they were repairing the bridge".

Is it correct to say "they are doing construction" instead of "they were doing construction"?

Yes, "they are doing construction" is correct. "They were doing construction" refers to past activity, while "they are doing construction" refers to present activity.