he was offered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he was offered" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you want to describe a situation in which someone was presented with an opportunity or option. For example: "He was offered a job with a prestigious law firm, but decided to pursue a career in teaching instead."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was offered training.

The Guardian

He was offered a leading role.

Independent

He was offered a job in California.

Independent

He was offered dinner; he accepted.

The New York Times - Arts

He was offered it anyway.

The Guardian - Books

And then he was offered ElBaradei's job.

Yale University

He was offered only bottled water.

The Guardian

He was offered food and drink.

The New York Times

He was offered a knighthood in 1994.

The Guardian

He was offered a sedan instead.

The New York Times - Travel

That evening, he was offered the job.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he was offered" when you want to emphasize that someone received an opportunity or item, but don't want to focus on who made the offer. For example, "He was offered a promotion" is suitable when the source of the promotion is less important than the fact that he received it.

Common error

Avoid using "he was offered by" when the offerer is already clear or unimportant. The passive voice already de-emphasizes the actor; adding "by someone/something" can make the sentence unnecessarily wordy or awkward. Instead of "He was offered the job by the company", simply use "He was offered the job."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he was offered" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the subject (he) received an offer. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable phrase to describe someone being presented with an opportunity or option. This contrasts with an active construction where the subject performs the offering action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

23%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "he was offered" is a common and grammatically correct passive construction used to indicate that someone received an offer or opportunity. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and wide applicability. It maintains a neutral register suitable for various contexts, from news reporting to academic discussions. When writing, remember to use it to emphasize the receipt of the offer rather than the offerer, and avoid unnecessary wordiness by omitting "by" phrases when the source of the offer is either clear or unimportant. Alternatives like "he received an offer" or "he was presented with" can provide variety while maintaining the core meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he received an offer

Directly replaces 'was offered' with 'received an offer', emphasizing the action of receiving.

an offer was made to him

Rephrases in a passive construction similar to the original, highlighting the offer itself.

he was presented with

Indicates that something was formally given or shown to him.

he got the chance to

Emphasizes the opportunity aspect of being offered something.

he was given the opportunity

Highlights that he received a chance, which could be implicit in an offer.

he was considered for

Focuses on the aspect of being evaluated before potentially receiving an offer.

he was proposed

Suggests a formal proposal or suggestion was made to him.

he was tendered

Implies a formal submission of an offer, often in business contexts.

he was awarded

Indicates that he formally received something, often after competition or merit.

he became eligible for

Highlights the attainment of requirements to be considered to be offered something.

FAQs

How is "he was offered" used in a sentence?

"He was offered" indicates someone received something, like a job or opportunity. For example, "He was offered a scholarship to study abroad".

What's a good alternative to "he was offered"?

Depending on the context, you could use "he received an offer", "he was presented with", or "he got the chance to".

Is it correct to say "he was offered by the company"?

While grammatically correct, it's often more concise to say "He was offered the job" without specifying the offerer unless it's crucial to the context. A better alternative would be to say "The company offered him the job".

What's the difference between "he was offered" and "he accepted"?

"He was offered" means someone presented him with something. "He accepted" means he agreed to take it. He could be "he was offered" a job, but it doesn't mean "he accepted" it.