it was were

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was were" is not correct in written English.
It appears to be a grammatical error, as "was" and "were" are different forms of the verb "to be" used for different subjects. Example: "If it were true, it would have been a different story."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

In late February, the Indonesian Navy detained 13 tugboats pulling barges full of granite, used in concrete, saying it was were searching for smuggled sand.

The New York Times

Davies told Filkin that he made the DPA aware that it was were putting out the wrong information and Fedorcio arranged a 30-minute meeting between Davies and Yates.

The Guardian

The lecturer was exactly right: Shedler and his girlfriend, whose dream it was, were at that moment waiting to learn if she was pregnant, and desperately hoping she wasn't.

The Guardian

In fact, Paraguay would probably have been vanquished far sooner than it was were it not for the yeoman work of George Thompson, a British engineer who enlisted in its army and organised the construction of its trenches and fortifications.

The Economist

At a party aboard a millionaire's yacht, blasted on coke and with this gorgeous creature on his arm, Jeff experiences a joyous epiphany: "The last six or however many hours it was were like a concentrated version of everything he had ever wanted from his life".

The Guardian - Books

Aereo claimed that the lawsuits had no merit, in part because the over-the-air signals that it was were free and available to any consumer who wished to buy his own digital antenna.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

It was being repossessed.

The New York Times

It was, wasn't it?

The New Yorker

It was being weathered.

University of Chicago

"It's being interdependent".

The New York Times

It's been clinical.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always double-check your subject-verb agreement. Use 'was' with singular subjects like 'it' and 'were' with plural subjects.

Common error

Don't assume that because a sentence feels right, it is grammatically correct. Actively check that the verb form aligns with the subject's number to prevent errors like using “were” with “it”.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was were" is grammatically incorrect because it mismatches the singular subject “it” with the plural verb form “were”. Ludwig AI flags this as a grammatical error, pointing to the fundamental rule of subject-verb agreement.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was were" is a grammatical error stemming from incorrect subject-verb agreement. As Ludwig AI highlights, the singular subject "it" requires the singular verb form "was", not "were". Although examples of its use exist in contexts like News & Media and Science, these instances represent incorrect usage. To ensure clarity and correctness, always verify subject-verb agreement and use "it was" instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was

Omits the incorrect 'were', resulting in a grammatically correct, albeit potentially incomplete, sentence.

that was

Replaces 'it' with 'that', specifying a previously mentioned subject.

this was

Replaces 'it' with 'this', specifying a different subject.

it is

Shifts the tense to present, changing the meaning to describe a current state.

if it were

Introduces a conditional clause, altering the function to express a hypothetical situation.

what it was

Functions as a noun clause, often used as part of a larger sentence.

it had been

Uses the past perfect tense, indicating a state completed before another point in the past.

it seemed to be

Adds a sense of perception or appearance, rather than a definitive statement.

it used to be

Indicates a past state that is no longer true.

it might have been

Expresses a possibility or speculation about a past state.

FAQs

What is the correct way to conjugate the verb "to be" with "it" in the past tense?

The correct conjugation is "it was". "Were" is used for plural subjects or in the subjunctive mood.

When should I use "was" versus "were"?

"Was" is used with singular subjects in the past tense (e.g., I was, he was, she was, it was). "Were" is used with plural subjects (e.g., we were, you were, they were) and in the subjunctive mood (e.g., If I were you).

What are some examples of correct sentence structures using "it was"?

Examples include: "It was a great experience", "It was raining yesterday", and "It was an honor to meet you".

Is there any context where "it were" is grammatically correct?

Yes, "it were" is correct in the subjunctive mood, often used in hypothetical or conditional statements (e.g., If "it were" not for you, I wouldn't be here). However, this is different from using it in simple past tense statements.