he was reminded

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'he was reminded' is correct and it can be used in written English.
For example, "The teacher reminded him of the upcoming test, and he was reminded to study hard for it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was reminded his new song is "One More Shot".

The New York Times - Arts

But it doesn't snow in El Salvador, he was reminded.

The Washington Post

He was reminded that he was the board's chairman.

The New York Times

He has raced even in China, he was reminded.

The New York Times - Sports

He was reminded of the TLC show, "Say Yes to the Dress".

The New York Times

Clark said he was reminded of the moment nearly every day.

The New York Times - Sports

He was reminded, he said, of his controversial essay from 1993 about defining deviancy down.

The New Yorker

He was reminded of how he liked her sluggish, heavy carriage.

The New Yorker

He smiled when he was reminded that the original deal was for 17 years.

The New York Times - Sports

At visitor center fellow said he was reminded of movie "The Jerk".

The New Yorker

It is time he was reminded that it takes two to tango.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he was reminded" when you want to emphasize the act of reminding as a separate event, rather than simply stating that he knew something. This is useful when someone had forgotten or overlooked something important.

Common error

Avoid using "he was reminded" when an active voice construction like "someone reminded him" would be clearer and more direct. The passive voice can sometimes obscure who did the reminding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he was reminded" functions as a passive construction where the subject receives the action of being reminded. Ludwig's examples showcase its use in conveying that someone's attention was drawn back to a fact, event, or obligation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he was reminded" is a grammatically correct and very common passive voice construction, primarily used in News & Media contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for indicating that someone's attention was drawn back to something, often prompting a memory or action. While versatile, it's important to consider whether an active voice construction might be clearer. The phrase appears frequently in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, confirming its widespread acceptance and appropriate usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he was informed

Directly states that information was conveyed.

it was pointed out to him

Highlights the act of someone specifically directing the information.

it was brought to his attention

More formal and emphasizes the act of informing.

he was made aware

Emphasizes becoming conscious of something previously unknown.

he received a reminder

Focuses on the reminder aspect, suitable when the purpose is to jog memory.

he was alerted

Implies a sense of urgency or importance in the information.

he was told

Simple and direct way to convey the reception of information.

he was prompted

Suggests a gentle nudge to remember or consider something.

it was suggested to him

Indicates a recommendation or idea presented for consideration.

he recollected

Focuses on his own act of remembering, often after an external cue.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "he was reminded" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "it was brought to his attention" or "he was apprised of the situation".

What's a more casual way to say "he was reminded"?

In informal contexts, you could say "he was told" or "someone mentioned it to him".

Is there a difference between "he was reminded" and "he remembered"?

"He was reminded" implies an external prompt triggered the memory, whereas "he remembered" suggests the memory came spontaneously. Use "he was reminded" when someone else brought something to his attention.

How to avoid passive voice when using "he was reminded"?

To use the active voice, rephrase the sentence to specify who did the reminding. For example, instead of "he was reminded that the deadline was approaching", say "the manager reminded him that the deadline was approaching".