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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
document was written by
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "document was written by" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to attribute authorship of a document to a specific person or group. Example: "The report you are reading is a comprehensive analysis of the market trends, and it is important to note that this document was written by our lead analyst."
✓ Grammatically correct
News & Media
Academia
Science
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
16 human-written examples
The document was written by an officer of the Salvation Army and sent to other officers.
News & Media
The current version of this document was written by Walker White as part of the transition of CS1110 to Python.
Academia
The document was written by Xie Moshan and Li Tianen, patriarchs of the house church movement, who have each spent more than a decade in Chinese prisons.
News & Media
The consultation document was written by co-chairs for the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, Lady Shields, Karen Bradley and Edward Timpson.
News & Media
Spicer added: "It is not a White House document". The AP has made clear that the document was written by Kelly and so would originate from the Department of Homeland Security, not the White House.
News & Media
This document was written by officials who are in something approaching despair at the state of the institution to which they have devoted their working lives (a feeling that many doctors or teachers may recognise).
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
44 human-written examples
The document is written by detective superintendent John MacBrayne, from the counter-terrorism command, who was in charge on the day.
News & Media
The Candlewood Playhouse in New Fairfield is presenting a futuristic version of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Mikado" beginning Tuesday and running through Aug. 9. "Unsafe Distances," a play about a teen-age girl with secret Government documents, was written by Howard Zinn and will be seen at the White Barn Theater in Westport Friday through Sunday.
News & Media
Most documents were written by medical doctors and edited by journalists for the general public.
The other two documents were written by an ad hoc committee of the Student Committee on Educational Policy, and by the Science-Engineering Working Group.
Agents engage in conversations or exchanges, documents link or refer to each other, while agents consume or read documents, and documents are written by agents.
Academia
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When attributing authorship, clearly state the author's name or role immediately after the phrase "document was written by" to avoid ambiguity. For example, "This document was written by John Doe, lead researcher."
Common error
Avoid using "document was written by" excessively in a single text. Over-reliance on passive voice can make your writing sound weak and indirect. Instead, use active voice when possible. For example, instead of "The document was written by the committee", try "The committee wrote the document".
Source & Trust
87%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "document was written by" functions primarily to attribute authorship to a specific individual or group. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct. It is typically used to formally acknowledge the creator of a particular text or report.
Frequent in
News & Media
42%
Academia
33%
Science
17%
Less common in
Encyclopedias
4%
Wiki
4%
Formal & Business
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, "document was written by" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase for attributing authorship. Ludwig AI confirms this. It's applicable across various contexts, from news and academia to science. When using the phrase, clearly state the author's name or role to avoid ambiguity and consider varying your sentence structure to avoid passive voice overuse. While correct, it's important to ensure the pronouns following 'by' are in the objective case (e.g., 'him', not 'he').
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
document was authored by
Replaces "written" with its direct synonym "authored", maintaining a formal tone.
document was composed by
Substitutes "written" with "composed", emphasizing the act of creating a structured text.
document was created by
Uses "created" instead of "written", broadening the scope to include non-textual documents.
author of the document was
Changes the sentence structure to focus on the author rather than the document.
the writing of the document was done by
Emphasizes the writing process with a more verbose structure.
the document's author is
Presents the author as a characteristic of the document.
the document originates from
Focuses on the origin or source of the document, rather than the writing itself.
the document is the work of
Highlights the document as a product of someone's effort.
the pen behind the document was wielded by
Emphasizes the act of writing with a metaphorical expression.
the originator of the document was
Focuses on the person or group responsible for starting the document.
FAQs
How can I use "document was written by" in a sentence?
Use "document was written by" to clearly attribute authorship. For example, "The document was written by the marketing team to outline the new strategy."
What can I say instead of "document was written by"?
Alternatives include "document was authored by", "document was composed by", or "the document's author is" depending on the context.
Is it better to use active or passive voice when indicating authorship?
While "document was written by" is grammatically correct (passive voice), using active voice (e.g., "The author wrote the document") can make your writing more direct and engaging.
Which is correct: "The document was written by him" or "The document was written by he"?
"The document was written by him" is correct. Use the objective pronoun "him" after the preposition "by".
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
87%
Authority and reliability
4.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested