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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
worth spent
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
"worth spent" is not correct as written English.
It should be written as "well spent" if you wish to use it in a sentence. Example: The weekend was well spent exploring the nearby city.
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
News & Media
Alternative expressions(4)
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
2 human-written examples
Last year, the education minister Lord Adonis - who, for what it's worth, spent his first 11 years in care, but was sent by his local council to Kingham Hill, a fee-paying church school in the Cotswolds - announced that private schools would no longer have to pay the £200,000 fee required for academy sponsorship.
News & Media
Spending your time and energy on what constitutes similarity or what new relationships you want people to have as a result of your application is time worth spent.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
55 human-written examples
Worth spending two hours watching?
News & Media
And that's worth spending time on.
News & Media
Why is it worth spending those billions?
News & Media
The restored Coleridge cottage is particularly worth spending time in.
News & Media
So where is the threat worth spending American blood?
News & Media
I thought this might be worth spending an extra $5,000".
News & Media
Nor are all those aims worth spending scarce public money on.
News & Media
Still, it's worth spending a few seconds parsing his current position.
News & Media
Perhaps it is worth spending some money to settle this disagreement.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Prefer the phrase "well spent" as a grammatically sound alternative to "worth spent" when describing the effective use of time, money, or energy.
Common error
Avoid using "worth spent" as it is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. Always opt for "well spent" to ensure clarity and accuracy in your writing.
Source & Trust
92%
Authority and reliability
2.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "worth spent" is intended to function as a descriptive adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate that something was a valuable use of resources. However, according to Ludwig AI, this construction is not grammatically correct and is advised against in formal writing.
Frequent in
News & Media
100%
Less common in
Formal & Business
0%
Science
0%
Encyclopedias
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, while the phrase "worth spent" appears in some contexts, particularly in News & Media sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. The correct and preferred alternative is "well spent", which effectively conveys the idea of resources being used valuably. It's advisable to use "well spent" or other similar phrases like "profitably used" to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy in your writing. Given the grammatical concerns, it's best to avoid "worth spent" in formal or professional settings.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
well spent
This is the grammatically correct and most direct alternative, indicating that the resource was used effectively.
profitably used
This emphasizes the beneficial outcome or gain from using the resource.
judiciously allocated
This suggests careful and wise distribution or use of the resource.
beneficially applied
This highlights the positive impact or advantage gained from the resource's application.
advantageously employed
This implies that the resource was used in a way that created an advantage.
gainfully invested
This focuses on the return or profit earned from putting the resource into something.
productively utilized
This emphasizes the efficient and effective use of the resource to generate output.
wisely consumed
This suggests careful and thoughtful usage of the resource, avoiding waste.
resourcefully expended
This highlights the clever and inventive ways the resource was used.
usefully devoted
This focuses on dedicating the resource to a specific, helpful purpose.
FAQs
What is the correct way to say something was a valuable use of time or money?
The correct phrase is "well spent". For example, "The afternoon was well spent reading a good book."
Is "worth spent" grammatically correct?
No, "worth spent" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. Use "well spent" instead.
What are some alternatives to "worth spent"?
Instead of "worth spent", you can use phrases like "well spent", "profitably used", or "judiciously allocated", depending on the context.
How does "well spent" differ from "worth spending"?
"Well spent" describes something that has already happened and was a valuable use of resources. "Worth spending" suggests something is advisable to use resources in the future. For example, "The money was well spent on education" versus "It's worth spending time on this project".
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
92%
Authority and reliability
2.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested