0
Mr. Tom Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary

Phrase "spend effort"

Hi

Is the use of "spend effort" natural?

I don't think you should spend so much effort on such little things.

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

That sounds quite fine if it's spoken (it's okay if written). I suspect we may more often spend 'time'. d

— Meteorquake

  • That sounds quite fine if it's spoken (it's okay if written).
  • I suspect we may more often spend 'time'.
  • d
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

5 Answers
0
That sounds quite fine if it's spoken (it's okay if written).
I suspect we may more often spend 'time'.
d
0
0
Mr. TomIs the use of "spend effort" natural?
Not to me. The phrase is "exert effort". "expend effort" is also used sometimes.

CJ
0
0
If you google it with double-quotes around, you'll see it's widely used Emotion: smile - d
0
0
meteorquake google it with double-quotes
So I see. Still, it sounds wrong to my ear. Emotion: thinking
0
0
It may something to do with "expend" and "spend" being very similar.
It sounds to my ear okay because when we speak we often plan to say one thing such as "spend time" but then one's intent changes to effort whilst saying "spend" and it becomes "spend effort"; but I would agree it's not so nice in formal writing.
d
0

Related Questions