that were absent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that were absent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to individuals or items that were not present in a particular situation or context. Example: "The students who were absent from class will need to catch up on the material covered."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There are now some troubling aspects to its features and culture that were absent before".

The New York Times

Western blots from exposed animals revealed over 30 DACT-modified spots that were absent in controls.

Toxicology Letters

The auction on Wednesday was more notable for the companies that were absent than for those that participated.

The New York Times

Still, Mr. Hubbard outlines some ideas that were absent from Mr. Romney's campaign platform.

The New York Times

Maria projected onto Tennessee Williams all the passion and romantic idealism that were absent in her marriage.

The New Yorker

Finally, the documentary examines the additional intellectual, technical and institutional resources now available for prevention that were absent or minimal in earlier genocides.

Stanford University

He said it with a smile and a self-assured tone that were absent from his public appearances last year.

The New York Times - Sports

To identify TEs that were absent in the RepBase library, a de novo repeat library was constructed using Repeatmodeler (version 1.0.10) (http://www.repeatmasker.org/).org/

Nature

Yesterday all four stressed the same themes -- familiarity, loyalty, the ability to communicate, being on the same page -- that were absent on the Rangers last season.

The New York Times - Sports

Additionally, it demonstrated a scoring profile that resulted in an increased likelihood of low match scores for compounds that were absent from a sample.

Clinical Mass Spectrometry

In addition, inhibition of EGFR and PDGFR-β were discovered for saturated C9-homologated analogs 9 and 10 that were absent in the saturated C9-methyl analogs.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "that were absent", ensure the context clearly indicates what the items are absent from. Provide enough information for the reader to understand the point of reference.

Common error

Avoid using "that were absent" without a clear reference point. Ensure the sentence explicitly states where the items or qualities were missing from, to prevent ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that were absent" functions as a relative clause, modifying a noun by specifying what qualities or items were missing. Ludwig's examples show this phrase frequently used in scientific and news contexts to describe absent features or elements.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

25%

Academia

13%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "that were absent" functions as a relative clause, primarily used to specify what is missing from a subject. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its grammatical correctness and prevalent usage across diverse domains, including Science, News & Media, and Academia. While maintaining a neutral register, this expression plays a vital role in accurately conveying differences and highlighting what is not present in a given context. Remember to clearly define the point of reference to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives include "that were missing", "that were lacking", or "that were not present".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that were missing

Emphasizes the state of being lost or not present.

which were absent

Uses "which" instead of "that", making it slightly more formal.

that were not present

Directly states the absence of something or someone.

that were lacking

Highlights a deficiency or insufficiency.

that were omitted

Formal term for something being left out.

that were not found

Highlights the failure to locate something.

that did not exist

Focuses on the non-existence of something, rather than its absence from a specific context.

that were not included

Similar to 'excluded', but less forceful, suggesting a simple omission.

that were excluded

Indicates a deliberate removal or omission.

conspicuously absent

Adverb added to highlight how obvious the absence is.

FAQs

How can I use "that were absent" in a sentence?

Use "that were absent" to describe elements missing from a specific context. For example, "The features "that were absent" in the new model were present in the older version".

What's a simpler way to say "that were absent"?

Alternatives include "that were missing", "that were lacking", or "that were not present". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "that were absent" or "which were absent"?

Both "that were absent" and "which were absent" are grammatically correct. "That" is generally used for restrictive clauses (essential to the sentence's meaning), while "which" is used for non-restrictive clauses (adds extra information). Choose based on whether the clause is essential to understanding the sentence.

When should I use "that were absent" instead of "that did not exist"?

"That were absent" implies something was expected or should have been present but wasn't. "That did not exist" indicates something never existed at all. For example, "The files "that were absent" from the folder" suggests they were supposed to be there. "Features "that did not exist" in previous models" indicates new features.