Cool MateIt cost time and money vs Spent
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
It cost time and money
Top 2,000 (common)
Spent
Top 1,000 (very common)
Most common: Spent
| It cost time and money | Spent | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɪt kɒst taɪm ənd ˈmʌni//🇺🇸 //ɪt kɔst taɪm ənd ˈmʌni// | 🇬🇧 //spɛnt//🇺🇸 //spɛnt// |
| Meaning | It takes both time and money. | Used money or time. |
| Example | Starting a new business will cost time and money. | She spent all her savings on a new car. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| Collocations | cost time, cost money, cost resources, cost effort, time and money | spent time, spent money, spent resources, spent energy, spent efforts |
| Antonyms | - | saved, conserved |
| Common mistakes | Omitting 'and' when combining time and money., Confusing the phrase with 'It costs a lot'., Using 'cost' with non-countable nouns incorrectly. | Using 'spend' instead of 'spent' for past actions., Confusing 'spent' with 'spending' when representing ongoing actions., Forgetting to include the object when saying what was spent. |
| Usage notes | Used when discussing the resources needed for an activity or project, appropriate in both casual and formal contexts. | Use 'spent' for past actions concerning money or time. Avoid in formal writing without context. |
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Frequently asked questions: It cost time and money vs Spent
What's the difference between It cost time and money and Spent?
It cost time and money: It takes both time and money. Spent: Used money or time.
Which is more common: It cost time and money and Spent?
Spent is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
It cost time and money: Starting a new business will cost time and money. Spent: She spent all her savings on a new car.
Can I use It cost time and money and Spent interchangeably?
Not always. It cost time and money and Spent are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.