fires were made

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fires were made" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the act of creating or starting fires, often in a historical or narrative context. Example: "In the ancient village, fires were made each evening to gather the community around for storytelling."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The big river delivers the wood to the Yupik Eskimos of the western coast, where there is no timber to speak of and where for ten millennia — before missionaries, books, schools, and visual aids — fires were made with fuel from a forest-mountain landscape that the Eskimos had never seen and could scarcely have imagined.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Ensure that two fires are made, at each end of the lamb (fore and back legs).

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The seven officers Superintendent Johnson recommended firing were made to turn in their badges until the Police Board made its decision.

The New York Times

Although Fires is making a good living acting in and producing these films, a part of her hopes that eventually the fauxcest wave will crash, so she can take her earnings and move on to other erotic forms of expression.

Vice

Although Fires is making a good living acting and producing these films, a part of her hopes that eventually the fauxcest wave will crash, so she can take her earnings and move on to other erotic forms of expression.

Vice

The officials in charge of suppressing that fire are more likely to be seen positively, often as heroes, even when the fire was made inappropriately severe by the failure to reduce potential fuels and modify man-made structures before the fire arrived.

The New York Times - Magazine

But the plane that fired was made and paid for in America.

The New York Times

Officials said that in addition to the nonfunctioning standpipe, fighting the fire was made difficult by the asbestos removal, which created "maze-like conditions".

The New York Times

His most familiar, "The Christmas Song"—cowritten with Robert Wells and better known by its opening line, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire"—was made famous by Nat King Cole in 1946 and subsequently recorded in more than 1,700 versions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But, whether an order to fire was made could not be determined because records of other regiments do not show such guidelines and thus discrepancy among interview accounts exists.

The New York Times

Every gun the Confederacy fired was made by a Democrat.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "fires were made" to emphasize the process of creating or constructing fires, rather than simply their existence.

Common error

Avoid overusing the passive voice. While "fires were made" is grammatically correct, consider using the active voice (e.g., "people made fires") for a more direct and engaging sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fires were made" functions as a passive construction, indicating that fires were the recipient of the action of being made. Ludwig's examples show its use in describing historical events, cultural practices, and specific actions related to fire.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "fires were made" is a grammatically correct passive construction used to describe the action of creating or starting fires. Ludwig shows that it commonly appears in news, encyclopedia and wiki sources. Although the phrase is correct, using active voice could improve directness of the writing. Ludwig AI confirms the grammatical correctness of the phrase and the practical examples showcase diverse contexts. While not exceptionally frequent, the phrase is suitable for various descriptive and narrative purposes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fires were lit

Replaces "made" with "lit", a common synonym in the context of starting a fire.

fires were started

Uses "started" instead of "made", emphasizing the initiation of the fire.

fires were built

Emphasizes the construction or arrangement of the fire.

fires were prepared

Focuses on the preparation aspect before the fire is ignited.

fires were created

Highlights the act of bringing a fire into existence.

fires were kindled

A more formal and archaic way of saying fires were started.

fires were set

Similar to "started" but can also imply a deliberate act, sometimes with negative connotations.

fires were established

Suggests a more permanent or long-lasting fire.

fires were ignited

A more technical or formal way of saying fires were started.

fires blazed forth

Uses more vivid language to describe the beginning of the fire, indicating its intensity.

FAQs

How can I use "fires were made" in a sentence?

You can use "fires were made" to describe the act of creating or starting fires in a particular context, such as "In the ancient village, "fires were made" each evening for warmth and cooking".

What are some alternatives to "fires were made"?

Some alternatives include "fires were lit", "fires were started", or "fires were built", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "fires were made" or "people made fires"?

While both are grammatically correct, "people made fires" uses the active voice, which is often more direct and engaging. "Fires were made" uses the passive voice, which is appropriate when the actor is unknown or less important than the action itself.

What does "fires were made" imply about the context?

"Fires were made" often implies a historical or traditional setting, or a situation where creating fires was a significant or necessary activity. It highlights the action of making fires rather than simply their presence.