present was

USAGE SUMMARY

Sentence The phrase "present was" is not a common phrase in English and is therefore not a part of correct written English.
If you want to use the phrase "present was," you would need to use it in a context to make it more clear what you are trying to say. For example, you could say: "The present was a time of great excitement and anticipation."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A propos of "presentism", I remember when the present was our entry into Iraq.

Huffington Post

Also present was Maj.

The New York Times

Operation Christmas Present was on.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Among those present was N.N.

The New Yorker

Also present was Magistrate Pollak.

The New York Times

The present was more complicated.

The New York Times - Magazine

Hitler's present was a red Mercedes.

The Economist

First to present was Mr. Libeskind.

The New York Times

And the present was, naturally, constantly changing.

The Guardian - Books

The present was changing very quickly".

The New York Times

One of those present was Stanley Isaacs.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "present was", ensure it fits the context. If you need to describe someone's attendance, consider using "was present" or "were present" depending on the subject to improve clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "present was" with plural subjects. For plural subjects, the correct form is "were present".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "present was" typically functions as part of a sentence structure indicating the existence or attendance of someone or something in the past. While common, its correctness is debated. As noted by Ludwig AI, the usage of "present was" in English is typically incorrect, suggesting that alternative phrasing may be needed for grammatical accuracy.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "present was" appears frequently across various sources, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As Ludwig AI indicates, alternatives such as "was present" or "were present" are usually more appropriate. Usage is common in News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias, but less so in formal contexts. To ensure clarity and correctness, carefully consider the subject-verb agreement and opt for more conventional phrasing in formal writing. The debate around its correctness suggests that it's best to err on the side of caution and use grammatically sound alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was present

Reverses the word order to create a more standard grammatical structure.

were present

Uses the plural form to match a plural subject.

was in attendance

Replaces "present" with "in attendance" to convey the same meaning formally.

were in attendance

Uses the plural form to match a plural subject.

attended

Simplifies the phrase to a single verb, focusing on the action of being present.

was available

Replaces "present" with "available" to indicate readiness or accessibility.

were available

Uses the plural form to match a plural subject.

existed

Replaces "present was" to simple verb in the past tense.

was existing

More formal verb used in the past tense.

been existing

More formal verb used in the past perfect tense.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "present was" to improve grammatical correctness?

To correct the grammar, use "was present" for singular subjects and "were present" for plural subjects. For example, instead of "The president present was..." say "The president "was present"".

What is the difference between "present was" and "was present"?

"Present was" is grammatically incorrect in most contexts. "Was present" is the standard and correct way to indicate someone's presence in the past. Therefore is recommended to use the alternative "was present".

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "present was"?

While generally not grammatically correct, "present was" might appear in specific contexts (e.g., creative writing, titles) where standard grammatical rules are intentionally bent. However, is still more recommended to use the alternative "was present".

What are some alternatives to using "present was" in formal writing?

In formal writing, consider using phrases like "in attendance", "attended", or "was available" instead of "present was". Always aim for grammatically sound alternatives like "was present" or "were present".