I were just about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I were just about" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a mix-up of "I was just about" or "If I were just about," which can be used in hypothetical or conditional contexts. Example: "If I were just about to leave, I would have said goodbye."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

At Ani, my three companions and I were just about the only visitors.

The New York Times - Travel

Angie and I were just about to begin our therapy dog visits when I received a call from my mom.

Huffington Post

That evening, my friends and I were just about the only attendees who matched the athletes' demographic.

Huffington Post

In fact, I wished I were just about anywhere else but at that desk, in that room of children staring at me," he wrote in a message to the White House email list.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

I'm just about resigned to that.

The New York Times

I'm just about 30.

The Guardian

"I'm just about to describe it".

The New Yorker

I'm just about to read them.

The Guardian - Sport

I was just about to give up.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

I'm just about to go there.

The Guardian

And I was just about to ask what it was.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "I was just about" or "I am just about" to maintain grammatical accuracy. "I were just about" is not standard English.

Common error

Avoid using "were" with the first-person singular pronoun "I". "Were" is typically used with plural subjects or in subjunctive mood constructions. Instead, use "was" for past tense singular agreement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I were just about" is grammatically incorrect and does not serve a standard function in English. Standard usage would employ "I was just about" to indicate an intention or state close to occurring in the past, or "I am just about" for the present.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I were just about" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct forms are "I was just about to" or "I am just about to", depending on the context. Ludwig AI confirms this grammatical issue. Although some instances appear in news and media sources, they should be considered errors or non-standard usage. For clarity and correctness, it's advisable to use alternative phrases like "I was about to" or "I am about to".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I was just about to

Corrects the grammatical error, using the past tense "was" with the first-person singular pronoun.

I am just about to

Shifts to the present tense, indicating an action on the immediate horizon.

I was nearly

Simplifies the phrase to convey being close to a certain state or action in the past.

I am close to

Uses "close to" to express nearing a specific action or state in the present.

If I were about to

Introduces a conditional aspect, suitable for hypothetical situations.

I had almost

Emphasizes the nearness to completing an action in the past.

I was on the verge of

Uses a more formal expression to indicate being at the brink of something.

I was just on the point of

Emphasizes the timing of the speaker's readiness to do something before something else occurred.

I was ready to

Indicates a state of preparedness to perform an action.

I was planning to

Indicates a previously established plan to do something.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use the phrase?

The grammatically correct forms are "I was just about to" or "I am just about to", depending on the intended tense.

What can I say instead of "I were just about"?

Use alternatives such as "I was about to", "I was nearly", or "I was on the verge of".

Which is correct, "I was just about" or "I were just about"?

"I was just about" is the correct form. "I were just about" is grammatically incorrect in standard English.

When should I use "I am just about to" versus "I was just about to"?

"I am just about to" is used for actions happening in the present or near future, while "I was just about to" refers to actions that were going to happen in the past.