was making dinner

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was making dinner" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an ongoing action in the past, typically when narrating a story or recounting events. Example: "While the kids were playing outside, I was making dinner in the kitchen."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

My mother was making dinner.

The New York Times - Travel

She took my coat and said that she was making dinner.

The New York Times - Magazine

I was making dinner, I still remember — noodles, Campbell's tomato soup, Cheddar cheese and ground beef.

The New York Times

Another subtle exchange occurred last week when I was making dinner.

The New York Times

The other night, I was making dinner and my husband had taken our son for a walk.

The New York Times

Atterbury was making dinner when her lawyers called to say that the jury had reached a verdict.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

One of the most enduring stories comes to mind from an adult daughter who was making dinners every month for her elderly mother.

Huffington Post

You're making dinner, you call the shots.

The New York Times

"We're making dinner with these," he said shyly.

The New Yorker

You're making dinner, you get to call the shots.

The New York Times

Now, a new generation is making dinner because they enjoy that hands-on work.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing simultaneous actions in the past, use "was making dinner" to indicate an ongoing activity interrupted by another event.

Common error

Ensure the tense remains consistent when describing past actions. Avoid switching to the present tense mid-sentence after using "was making dinner".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was making dinner" functions as a verb phrase in the past continuous tense. It describes an action (making dinner) that was in progress at a specific time in the past. Ludwig AI confirms this with its examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Reference

5%

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was making dinner" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression in English to describe an ongoing action in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase primarily functions as a verb phrase in the past continuous tense, offering context to past events. While predominantly found in "News & Media", it is versatile enough for academic, formal, and informal contexts. When using this phrase, ensure tense consistency and consider alternatives like "was preparing dinner" or "was cooking dinner" for subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was preparing dinner

Replaces "making" with "preparing", indicating a more formal approach to the task.

was cooking dinner

Substitutes "making" with "cooking", which is a more specific action related to preparing food.

was getting dinner ready

Emphasizes the action of preparing dinner to be served soon.

was fixing dinner

Uses "fixing" as a more informal synonym for preparing.

was assembling dinner

Highlights the act of putting together various components of the meal.

was putting together dinner

A more descriptive way of saying preparing dinner, emphasizing the process.

was creating dinner

Implies a more artistic or inventive approach to making dinner.

was starting dinner

Focuses on the initiation of the dinner preparation process.

had started making dinner

Indicates that the action of making dinner began at some point in the past and may or may not be ongoing.

began making dinner

Highlights the commencement of preparing dinner.

FAQs

How to use "was making dinner" in a sentence?

You can use "was making dinner" to describe an ongoing action in the past, often interrupted by another event. For example, "I was making dinner when the phone rang."

What can I say instead of "was making dinner"?

You can use alternatives like "was preparing dinner", "was cooking dinner", or "was fixing dinner" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "was making dinner" or "made dinner"?

"Was making dinner" implies an ongoing action in the past, while "made dinner" suggests a completed action. The correct choice depends on the intended meaning and context.

What's the difference between "was making dinner" and "had made dinner"?

"Was making dinner" describes an action in progress at a specific time in the past, whereas "had made dinner" indicates an action completed before a certain point in the past. For example: "I was making dinner when he arrived" vs. "I had made dinner before he arrived".