discussions was held

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "discussions was held" is not correct in written English.
It should be "discussions were held" to agree in number with the plural noun "discussions." Example: "During the meeting, several discussions were held regarding the new policy changes."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The second round of discussions was held within an office block a distance away from the health facility where there were fewer disturbances from those visiting or working at the facility.

BMC Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Political discussions were held around the dinner table.

Independent

Discussions were held only through intermediary bodies, while Taiwan's democratisation soon intervened.

The Economist

The discussions were held in connection with the annual congress here of the International Society of Blood Transfusion.

The New York Times

And no discussions were held into any cases or things like that".

The New Yorker

The discussions were held on the basis of participant anonymity.

Process Safety and Environmental Protection

Long discussions were held, often lasting well into the night.

Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice

Post-intervention process indicators were systematically collected and focus group discussions were held.

Vaccine

Alongside these, focus group discussions were held to explore how outcome effects had transpired.

Patient Education and Counseling

Three focus group discussions were held with young people (n = 14).

Appetite

The group discussions were held on 21 January 2014 in Rome, Italy and on 23 September 2014 in Berlin, Germany.

European Transport Research Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct plural form, "discussions were held", to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "discussions was held" because it's grammatically incorrect; "discussions" is plural and requires the plural verb "were".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "discussions was held" functions as a statement indicating that discussions occurred. However, it is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI explains, it should be "discussions were held" to agree in number with the plural noun "discussions."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "discussions was held" is grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "discussions were held". As Ludwig AI highlights, the verb "was" does not agree with the plural subject "discussions". Although some sources may use this incorrect form, it's essential to use the grammatically correct version to maintain clarity and credibility, especially in formal writing. Alternatives such as "discussions took place" or "meetings were conducted" can also be used. While the phrase appears across different contexts according to Ludwig's analysis, always prioritize grammatical correctness in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

discussions took place

This alternative replaces the passive voice construction "were held" with the active voice "took place", offering a more direct and concise expression.

meetings were conducted

This alternative replaces "discussions" with "meetings" and "held" with "conducted", indicating a more formal setting.

talks were convened

This alternative uses "talks" in place of "discussions" and "convened" to suggest a more official or structured meeting.

consultations were undertaken

This alternative emphasizes the collaborative and advisory nature of the discussions.

dialogues were initiated

This alternative uses "dialogues" to highlight the two-way communication aspect and "initiated" to emphasize the starting of the discussions.

conversations ensued

This alternative uses "conversations" to suggest a more informal exchange and "ensued" to indicate that the conversations followed something else.

forums were organized

This suggests a more public and structured setting for the discussions.

sessions were carried out

This alternative uses "sessions" to refer to a specific period of discussion and "carried out" to emphasize the execution of the discussions.

negotiations were undertaken

This alternative implies a formal discussion aimed at reaching an agreement.

symposiums were arranged

This suggests a formal academic conference or meeting where discussions took place.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "discussions was held"?

The correct phrase is "discussions were held". The verb must agree with the plural subject "discussions".

What can I say instead of "discussions was held"?

You can use alternatives like "discussions took place", "meetings were conducted", or "talks were convened" depending on the context.

Is "discussions was held" grammatically correct?

No, "discussions was held" is grammatically incorrect. The plural noun "discussions" requires the plural verb "were". The correct form is "discussions were held".

What is the difference between "discussions was held" and "discussions were held"?

"Discussions was held" is grammatically incorrect due to subject-verb disagreement. "Discussions were held" is the correct form, ensuring the plural subject "discussions" agrees with the plural verb "were".