observations were made

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "observations were made" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it in a sentence such as "Our research team made several observations during the study."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Several observations were made.

Nature

Similar observations were made on MoS2 flakes11.

Nature

The following observations were made.

Polymer

Similar observations were made earlier.

Polymer

Observations were made at 10 GHz frequency.

Advances in Space Research

Actually, all those observations were made 20 years ago.

The New York Times

Similar observations were made on other substrates (Supplementary Fig. 1).

Nature

Their observations were made with telescopes equipped with infrared detectors.

The New York Times

Additional confirming observations were made at other telescopes.

Cornell University

Following observations were made: 1.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Similar observations were made in the cortex.

Duke University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the passive voice construction "observations were made", ensure the context clearly indicates who made the observations, or that the actor is irrelevant to the statement's main point. If the observer is important, consider using the active voice for clarity.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on the passive voice, as it can make your writing sound vague and less engaging. While "observations were made" is grammatically correct, consider rewriting the sentence in the active voice (e.g., "Researchers made observations") to create a more direct and impactful statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "observations were made" functions as a passive voice construction, typically used to describe the act of observing without explicitly stating who performed the observation. Ludwig AI suggests that it is a valid and usable English phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

86%

News & Media

7%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "observations were made" is a grammatically correct and frequently used passive construction, as confirmed by Ludwig. Its primary function is to report that observations occurred, often without specifying the observer. As seen in the provided examples, its register ranges from neutral to formal, with a high prevalence in scientific and news contexts. When using this phrase, consider whether specifying the observer would enhance clarity or impact, or if using an active voice construction would improve the writing. While the phrase is valid, avoid overuse of the passive voice to maintain an engaging and direct writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

observations were conducted

This alternative focuses on the act of carrying out the observations, emphasizing the process.

observations were carried out

Similar to "observations were conducted", this highlights the execution of the observational process.

observations were recorded

This emphasizes the documentation aspect of the observations, focusing on the act of noting them down.

findings were noted

This shifts the focus to the results or conclusions derived from the observations.

studies were performed

This is a more general term referring to the execution of a study and its related observations.

data was collected

This highlights the collection of data, which may include observations, as part of a process.

assessments were undertaken

This suggests a more formal or structured evaluation process that includes observations.

measurements were taken

This emphasizes the quantifiable aspect of observations, focusing on the act of measuring.

determinations were made

This shifts the focus to the conclusions or decisions reached based on observations.

inspections were carried out

This is more specific term that is related with a systematic and formal examination or review of something.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "observations were made" to be more active?

You can rephrase it using an active voice construction, such as "Researchers made observations" or "The team observed..." depending on who performed the observations.

What's a more formal alternative to "observations were made"?

A more formal alternative could be "findings were noted" or "assessments were undertaken", depending on the specific context and the nature of the observations.

Is it always necessary to specify who made the observations when using "observations were made"?

No, it's not always necessary. The passive voice is useful when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from the context. However, specifying the actor often improves clarity. If the actor is important, the sentence should be active, like "The scientists observed...".

What are some common synonyms for "observations were made" in a scientific context?

In a scientific context, common synonyms include "data was collected", "measurements were taken", or "studies were performed", each emphasizing different aspects of the observational process.