was not useful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was not useful" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that did not provide any benefit or assistance in a particular context. Example: "The information provided in the report was not useful for our research project."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

This meant that, sadly, the upgrade-insecure-requests feature was not useful to us in practice.

The Guardian

Since Lambert Beer's law, extensively used in photometry, was not useful for explaining the decrease in the intensity of light by the biomass, an empirical expression was used.

Biochemical Engineering Journal

My former trainer decided to use a strategy that was not useful.

The Guardian - Sport

Visual interpretation of structural MRI fared the worst and was not useful in determining PIB-status when used alone.

Alzheimer's Research and Therapy

Direct sequencing was used for inwardly directed products and most cDNA amplicons, but was not useful for most intergenic regions, likely due to size differences in the products.

Plosone

They were wasting their energy because their student was not useful to them.

The New York Times

That is, having grand theories about, say, the nature of modern China was not useful.

The New York Times

Investigators in the Italian capital found a component of male DNA on the handle of the knife, but said it was "not useful" for future comparison.

The Guardian

But the level of risk-weighted assets was not useful in forecasting which banks would be able to ride out the storm.

The New York Times

"Why release something if it was not useful?" said Mr. Kondo, also a retired professor of nuclear engineering at the University of Tokyo.

The New York Times

Advection was along the channel and was not useful for transversal mixing.

Nano Convergence

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was not useful", ensure the context clearly explains why it was unhelpful. Be specific about what aspects made it so.

Common error

Avoid simply stating something "was not useful" without providing context. Explain what the expected benefit was and why it wasn't achieved.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was not useful" functions as a predicative adjective phrase, expressing that a subject did not provide any benefit or assistance. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

31%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was not useful" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something did not provide a benefit or assistance. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's wide applicability across various domains, particularly in scientific and news contexts. When using this phrase, it's crucial to provide context explaining why something lacked utility to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "proved unhelpful" or "was ineffective" can offer nuanced variations, but the core meaning remains consistent.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was ineffective

Highlights the lack of desired outcome or result.

proved unhelpful

Focuses on the lack of assistance provided.

did not contribute

Emphasizes the absence of a positive impact or addition.

served no purpose

Emphasizes the lack of a valid reason or function.

failed to assist

Directly states the inability to provide help.

was unproductive

Highlights the lack of beneficial output or results.

yielded no results

Focuses on the absence of any tangible outcomes.

had no effect

Indicates the absence of any impact or change.

did not work

Simple and direct way of saying something failed to achieve its purpose.

was a waste of time

Highlights that time was spent on something without achieving any beneficial results.

FAQs

How can I use "was not useful" in a sentence?

Use "was not useful" to describe something that did not provide a benefit or assistance in a particular context. For example: "The information provided in the report "was not useful" for our research project."

What are some alternatives to saying "was not useful"?

You can use alternatives like "proved unhelpful", "was ineffective", or "did not contribute", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "was not useful" or "was unhelpful"?

Both "was not useful" and "was unhelpful" are grammatically correct and have similar meanings. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. "Was not useful" emphasizes the lack of utility, while "was unhelpful" emphasizes the lack of assistance.

When is it appropriate to use "was not useful" in formal writing?

It's appropriate in formal writing when you need to objectively assess the effectiveness or utility of something. Ensure the context clearly explains why the subject "was not useful".