when all is said and done — summarising / ultimately
expressionC1IELTS 7+formaloccasional
Used to introduce a final summary or main point after considering all the details or arguments.
Say it like a native
Textbook Upon final consideration of every relevant aspect, the outcome remains unchanged.
Native When all is said and done, nothing's really changed.
The idiom is the natural emphatic summariser; the paraphrase is laboured.
Pattern: when all is said and done, [main point]
In use
- When all is said and done, family is what matters most to me.daily life
- There are many factors to consider when choosing a career, such as salary, job satisfaction, and work-life balance. But when all is said and done, I think personal fulfillment is the most important thing.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ When all said and done, we tried our best.
✓ When all is said and done, we tried our best.
Don't drop 'is' — it's 'when all IS said and done'.
Common collocations
when all is said and done,— it's, we, what counts, nothing
Don't confuse it
Similar to 'at the end of the day', but 'when all is said and done' is slightly more formal and less casual.