it was reports

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was reports" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be an attempt to convey that there were reports about something, but it lacks clarity and proper structure. Example: "It was reports of unusual activity that raised concerns among the authorities."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

And on Thursday, it was reports that he left the scene of an accident that occurred while he was giving a radio interview on his cell phone.

The New York Times

Mostly it was reports of people who simply didn't turn off their device or laptop batteries overheating, not of any kind of interference from those devices.

The New York Times

The trains also caused travel sickness, also among employees, particularly on the section from Kristiansand to Bø. NSB stated that this had also occurred on the old trains and that it was reports of the number of people affected were exaggerated.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Order!", it was reported.

The Guardian

It was reported Monday night by WCBS-TV News. WCBS-TV News

The New York Times

It was reported by four people.

The New Yorker

It was reported on extensively.

The Guardian

"It was reported as that.

The Guardian - Sport

"It was reported in Vogue".

The Guardian

It was reported by The Washington Post.

The New York Times

How it was reported was totally inaccurate.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the grammatically correct phrase "there were reports" instead of "it was reports".

Common error

Ensure that the verb agrees with the subject. "It" is singular, so it should be followed by a singular verb form, not a plural one. Use "there were" for plural subjects like "reports".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was reports" is grammatically incorrect. It attempts to function as a statement indicating the existence of multiple reports, but fails due to subject-verb disagreement. Ludwig AI indicates this is not correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it was reports" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in both formal and informal writing. As Ludwig AI confirms, the correct phrasing is "there were reports". This correction ensures proper subject-verb agreement. While some examples exist, they do not legitimize the incorrect usage. Always opt for grammatically sound alternatives such as "there were reports", "reports indicated that", or "it was reported that" to maintain clarity and credibility in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there were reports

This is the most direct and grammatically correct alternative.

reports indicated that

This alternative emphasizes the role of reports as indicators of something.

it has been reported that

This phrase uses the passive voice to convey that something has been made known.

reports suggested that

Similar to 'reports indicated', but suggests a less definitive conclusion.

various reports stated

This alternative emphasizes the multiple sources of information.

sources reported that

Focuses on the origin of the information.

it is reported that

Another passive voice construction indicating information disclosure.

the reports detail

Highlights the content of the reports.

information suggests

Moves away from 'reports' specifically, to broader information.

the story goes that

An informal way to introduce something that has been communicated.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "it was reports"?

The correct way to phrase this is "there were reports". The phrase "there were reports" uses the correct plural form of the verb "to be" to agree with the plural noun "reports".

Can I use "it was reports" in formal writing?

No, "it was reports" is not appropriate for formal writing. Instead, use grammatically correct alternatives such as "there were reports" or "it was reported that".

What does "it was reports" mean?

"It was reports" is an incorrect phrasing attempting to convey that information or news was received via reports. A correct alternative is "there were reports".

Is "it was report" grammatically correct?

No, "it was report" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form would be "it was reported", using the passive voice to indicate that something was made known.