he was information

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he was information" is not correct and does not make sense in written English.
It cannot be used in any context as it lacks clarity and grammatical structure. Example: "He was information" does not convey a clear meaning or context.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

When he was information technology chief for Washington, D.C., Vivek Kundra delivered huge caches of information to the Web for public use — from controversial hourly pay rates of city contractors to the daily pickups of road kill.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"He's information gathering.

Los Angeles Times

In them was information he was hoping to find.

The New York Times

Any information Alec had about him was information that he could use against him.

The New Yorker

This was information he was quite familiar with.

The New Yorker

This was information that he kept easily in his head.

The New Yorker

Instead, he said, he was recalling information from prior conversations he had with Iowa Republican officials.

The New York Times

Still, some officials at the CIA's headquarters believed that he was withholding information.

The Guardian - Opinion

Cole passed the name to John Sifton while he was gathering information for the John Adams team.

The New Yorker

He was repeating information that was 10 years old.

Huffington Post

This comment irritated the judge, who interrupted Carney to ask him why he was "volunteering" information.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "he was information" as it's grammatically incorrect. Instead, use phrases like "he was knowledgeable" or "he had information" to clearly convey the intended meaning.

Common error

Do not use "information" as a direct attribute of a person. "Information" is a noun representing data or knowledge, not a characteristic one can 'be'. Instead, focus on expressing the person's knowledge or role in relation to information.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he was information" is grammatically incorrect. The proper grammatical function is flawed because "information" is a noun, not an adjective that describes a person. Ludwig AI indicates it is not used or accepted in standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he was information" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. Ludwig AI confirms that this construction is not appropriate in standard English. Instead, consider using alternatives like "he was knowledgeable", "he had information", or "he was an information source" to accurately convey your intended meaning. The proper choice depends on the context. It's better to avoid this expression to maintain clarity and grammatical correctness in writing and speech.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he had information

Focuses on possession of information rather than equating him with information itself.

he possessed the information

Emphasizes his control or ownership of specific information.

he was knowledgeable

Indicates he had a broad understanding or expertise.

he was informed

Highlights that he had received or been given information.

he was a source of information

Suggests he provided information to others.

he knew the information

Directly states his awareness of specific details.

he was briefed

Implies he received a formal or structured delivery of information.

he was filled with information

Describes someone overflowing with facts, figures and knowledge.

he provided the information

Focuses on the act of him giving/passing on the information to others.

he gathered information

Focuses on the act of him collecting/compiling the information.

FAQs

How can I correctly express that someone is knowledgeable?

Instead of saying "he was information", use phrases like "he was knowledgeable", "he was well-informed", or "he had a wealth of information" depending on the context.

What's the difference between saying "he was informed" and "he had information"?

"He was informed" implies that someone gave him the information. "He had information" simply means that he possessed it, regardless of how he obtained it.

Is it ever correct to use "information" to describe a person?

No, it is not grammatically correct to directly equate a person with "information". You can say someone is an "information officer" or provides information, but not that they are information.

What can I say instead of "he was information" if I want to emphasize his role in providing data?

Consider alternatives like "he was an "information source"", "he was the point of contact for information", or "he disseminated information".