it was copies

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was copies" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to refer to multiple copies of something, but it lacks clarity and proper context. Example: "After reviewing the documents, I realized it was copies of the original report that were missing."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

McDonald said there was a shredder at the centre, but it was copies of reports, not originals, that were shredded.

The Guardian

Back in season one, it was copies of Ayn Rand's books being bandied about the office, but this season it seems that Rand's been shelved, at least for now.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"It was copied from Roman civil engineering practices," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

In other words, it was copying Sony's Monday move.

The Guardian - Film

It was copy edited by Sheela Kamath and Nikki Frick.

The Guardian

Can we call this Leonardo's horse even if it was copied posthumously from his drawings?

The New York Times - Books

It was copied by pretty much every bank under the sun.

The Guardian - Business

"This paragraph looks like it was copied straight out of an encyclopedia.

The New Yorker

As soon as it was finished, it was copied, imitated, quoted - by Holbein himself, among others; an instant icon.

The Guardian

Perform column deletion right after it was copied.

Journal of Big Data

That meant the ads traveled with the game, no matter where it was copied to.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "it was copies" in formal writing. Use "they were copies" or "it consisted of copies" for correct grammar and clarity.

Common error

Ensure that the subject of your sentence agrees in number with the verb. "It" is singular, so it should be paired with "was a copy" or the plural "they were copies".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was copies" functions as a statement identifying the nature of something as being duplicates. However, it presents a grammatical error due to subject-verb disagreement. According to Ludwig AI, standard written English finds this formulation to be incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was copies" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard written English. While the intent is clear – to indicate that something is a duplicate – the subject-verb disagreement makes it unsuitable for formal contexts. As highlighted by Ludwig, "they were copies" or "it consisted of copies" are preferable alternatives. Despite appearing in some news and scientific sources, its low frequency and grammatical issues suggest avoiding this phrase in favor of more precise and accurate language.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were copies

Changes the subject from singular "it" to plural "they" to agree with "copies".

it consisted of copies

Replaces "was" with "consisted of" to specify the composition.

it was a copy

Changes "copies" to singular "copy" if only one item is intended.

it turned out to be copies

Adds "turned out to be" to indicate a discovery or realization.

it was duplicate versions

Replaces "copies" with "duplicate versions" for clarity.

those were copies

Changes the pronoun to "those" to refer to something previously mentioned.

those were reproductions

Replaces "copies" with "reproductions", emphasizing the act of recreating.

it was replicated

Replaces "copies" to "replicated", emphasizing the act of replication.

it was imitations

Replaces "copies" with "imitations", if originality is an issue.

it was mock-ups

Replaces "copies" with "mock-ups", if it's about prototypes or preliminary versions.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say something was duplicated?

Instead of the grammatically questionable "it was copies", use alternatives like "they were copies" or "it was a copy" depending on whether you're referring to multiple items or a single item.

Is "it was copies" grammatically correct?

No, "it was copies" is not grammatically correct. The pronoun "it" is singular and requires a singular noun or pronoun. The phrase should be restructured to "they were copies" if referring to multiple items.

What can I say instead of "it was copies" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "it consisted of copies" or "they were duplicates".

When should I use "it was a copy" versus "they were copies"?

Use "it was a copy" when referring to a single duplicated item. Use "they were copies" when referring to multiple duplicated items.