were vacationing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were vacationing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a past action where someone was on vacation. Example: "Last summer, we were vacationing in Hawaii for two weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

They were vacationing in Europe.

The New Yorker

They were driving up to Shelburne, Vermont, from Cape Cod, where they were vacationing.

The New Yorker

Huey said that he called her in Maine, where she and Kann were vacationing.

The New Yorker

While we were vacationing in Greece, he got a fax saying he was laid off.

The New York Times

It took place in August 2001, in Steamboat Springs, Colo., where their families were vacationing together.

The New York Times

His proposal, made last July while they were vacationing in Ireland, was immediately accepted.

The New York Times - Style

We were vacationing in New England the other week when a small circus, the Bond Brothers, came to town.

The New Yorker

A White House official said the engagement had taken place in Maine; Mr. and Mrs. Bush were vacationing in Texas.

The New York Times

The masked gunmen came on an October evening in 1988, when Mr. and Mrs. McAllister were vacationing in Spain.

The New York Times

Soon, pledges were coming in, and homeowners were tracking down neighbors, some of whom were vacationing in Africa and India.

The New York Times

The idea began with Craig Walzer and Oliver Wise, 25-year-old Americans, who were vacationing on Santorini in 2002.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were vacationing" to clearly indicate that someone was in the process of taking a vacation at a specific time in the past. This phrasing works well in narrative contexts, such as describing events that occurred while someone was on vacation.

Common error

Avoid using "was vacationing" when referring to multiple people or a plural subject. "Was" is singular; use "were" for plural subjects. For example, "They were vacationing in Europe" is correct, while "They was vacationing in Europe" is incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were vacationing" functions as the past continuous tense of the verb "vacation". It describes an ongoing action in the past, indicating that someone was in the process of taking a vacation at a specific time. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were vacationing" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe someone being on vacation in the past. As Ludwig AI indicates, its use is widespread across various reliable sources, particularly in news and media. While alternatives like "were on vacation" and "were holidaying" exist, "were vacationing" clearly communicates an ongoing activity during a specific time, and it's important to ensure subject-verb agreement when using it. Remember to use "were" with plural subjects and "was" with singular ones.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were on vacation

Simple change from the verb to prepositional phrase.

were holidaying

Replaces "vacationing" with its British English equivalent.

were on holiday

British English alternative; replaces "vacationing" with "on holiday".

were taking a vacation

Adds a verb to emphasize the act of taking a vacation.

were enjoying a vacation

Emphasizes the positive experience of the vacation.

were spending their vacation

Highlights the activity during the vacation time.

were away on vacation

Indicates absence from usual location for a vacation.

were having a holiday

A more casual expression for being on vacation.

were tripping

Short version for traveling.

were touring

Implies a more extensive form of travel, often visiting multiple locations.

FAQs

How to use "were vacationing" in a sentence?

Use "were vacationing" to describe a past continuous action of taking a vacation. For example, "They "were vacationing" in Italy when they heard the news."

What can I say instead of "were vacationing"?

You can use alternatives like "were on vacation", "were on holiday", or "were holidaying" depending on the context and regional preference.

Which is correct, "were vacationing" or "was vacationing"?

"Were vacationing" is correct for plural subjects, while "was vacationing" is correct for singular subjects. For instance, "We "were vacationing"" is correct, and "He "was vacationing"" is also correct, but "We was vacationing" is not.

What's the difference between "were vacationing" and "went on vacation"?

"Were vacationing" describes an ongoing state of being on vacation, while "went on vacation" describes the act of beginning a vacation. "They "were vacationing" in Spain" implies they were already there, whereas "They went on vacation to Spain" means they started their vacation there.