everyone were

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence 'everyone were' is not correct.
In written English, the correct phrase is 'everyone was.' Example: Everyone was happy to hear the good news.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

If everyone were religious, but no guns: 11.

The New York Times

If everyone were in agreement it wouldn't probably be art".

The New York Times

MS. DYSON: I wish everyone were solid offline.

The New York Times

It would be nice if everyone were happy and good.

The Guardian

If only everyone were picking up the tab.

The New York Times

"I wish everyone were as eco as you".

The New Yorker

"War Emblem, everyone, were physically and mentally exhausted".

The New York Times - Sports

Britain would implode if everyone were quite so buoyant as he.

Independent

It sounded as if everyone were reading from the same playbook.

The New York Times

If only everyone were as happy about it as Braves fans.

The New York Times - Sports

If everyone were to hold onto the extra cash, nothing further would happen.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When constructing conditional sentences, double-check your subject-verb agreement, especially when using collective nouns like "everyone" or "everybody."

Common error

Do not use plural verb forms (like "were") with singular indefinite pronouns such as "everyone". The correct form is "everyone was". Using "everyone were" can detract from the clarity and credibility of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "everyone were" functions as part of a conditional clause, typically introducing a hypothetical scenario. The intended function is to establish a condition that, if met, leads to a particular outcome. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "everyone were" frequently appears across various sources, especially in News & Media. However, as Ludwig AI emphasizes, it's grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "everyone was". This is because "everyone", despite referring to multiple individuals, functions as a singular pronoun. To ensure clarity and credibility, especially in formal and professional contexts, always use "everyone was". While alternatives such as "all people were" or "everybody was" exist, maintaining grammatical accuracy is key to effective communication. Although commonly found, the prevalence of "everyone were" does not excuse its incorrect usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

if everyone was

Replaces the incorrect "were" with the grammatically correct "was".

if everybody was

Uses "everybody" as a synonym for "everyone", grammatically corrected to "was".

if all people were

Substitutes "everyone" with "all people" for a more explicit phrasing, while correcting the verb conjugation.

if each person was

Uses "each person" to emphasize individuality, corrected with the singular verb "was".

assuming everyone was

Rephrases the condition using "assuming" instead of "if", while ensuring grammatical accuracy.

suppose everyone was

Similar to "assuming", but with a slightly more hypothetical tone, and grammatical correction.

if each individual was

Replaces "everyone" with "each individual" to highlight personal perspective, ensuring correct grammar.

if the entire population was

Expands "everyone" to "the entire population" for emphasis, correcting the verb conjugation.

if all of us were

Changes focus to a group perspective, using "us" instead of "everyone", with corrected verb.

in the event that everyone was

Introduces a formal tone, replacing the simple "if" with a more elaborate conditional phrase, grammatically sound.

FAQs

Why is "everyone was" correct and not "everyone were"?

Although "everyone" refers to multiple people, it is grammatically singular and requires a singular verb form, hence "everyone was". Using "everyone were" is a common error but is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English.

What are some alternatives to "everyone was" that I can use?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "all people were", "everybody was", or "each person was" to convey a similar meaning while maintaining grammatical correctness.

How can I remember to use "everyone was" instead of "everyone were"?

A helpful tip is to remember that "everyone" functions similarly to "each one". Since you would say "each one was", you should also say "everyone was". This parallel structure can aid in recalling the correct verb conjugation.

Is it ever acceptable to use "everyone were"?

While "everyone were" might occasionally appear in very informal speech or non-standard dialects, it's generally best to avoid it in formal writing and speech. Sticking to "everyone was" ensures clarity and adherence to standard English grammar.