that were gathered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that were gathered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to items, information, or people that have been collected or assembled in some way. Example: "The data that were gathered during the experiment provided valuable insights into the research question."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As the group's name implies, the dishes contained ingredients — mushrooms, leafy greens and seaweed — that were gathered in the wild.

The New York Times

Mr. Cranston released copies of documents today that were gathered by the General Accounting Office at his request.

The New York Times

The fireplace is a gas stove from Vermont Casting, with big stones inside that were gathered on the Maine coast.

The New York Times

The report combined data from 22 primary survey questions that were gathered from 1,270 country experts around the world.

The Guardian

In January 2011, the Berkman Center published the research materials, resources, and other inputs that were gathered in the course of the production of its Final Report.

Harvard University

The sections to the right outline the research materials, resources, and other inputs that were gathered in the course of the Berkman team's production of its Final Report.

Harvard University

The movie eschews traditional narration: in addition to the restored audio, the soundtrack consists of archival recordings of veterans that were gathered by oral historians.

The New Yorker

In addition to the record amount of wild mushrooms that were gathered in 2014, there was also a noticeable number of poisoning cases reported by Public Health England.

The Guardian

Investigators are looking into what happened with absentee ballots that were gathered from the county and why it seems as if so many were never turned in.

The Washington Post

Labour MPs have demanded to see secret files that were gathered on them by undercover police in the 1990s even after they had been elected to parliament.

The Guardian

FOR a scientist, there are few happier accidents than finding a trove of data that were gathered for other purposes, but which apply to your pet problem.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "that were gathered", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what did the gathering and the purpose behind it. This adds clarity and depth to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "that was gathered" when referring to multiple items or people. Ensure the verb agrees with the plural subject. For example, instead of saying "The information that was gathered", use "The information that were gathered".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that were gathered" functions as a relative clause, modifying a noun by providing additional information about it. It specifies which items or pieces of information are being referred to, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples, such as "the dishes that were gathered in the wild".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

31%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "that were gathered" serves as a relative clause, effectively describing items or information that have been collected or assembled. As Ludwig AI highlights, it is grammatically correct and commonly used across a broad spectrum of sources, including news, scientific, and academic texts. To ensure clarity, it is advisable to specify the source or method of gathering. While versatile, remember to maintain subject-verb agreement and choose synonyms like "that were compiled" or "that were obtained" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

which had been collected

Uses "collected" instead of "gathered", implying a more formal or organized collection process and the use of the past perfect tense indicates an action completed before a specific point in time.

that were obtained

Focuses on the acquisition aspect rather than the act of collecting.

that had been assembled

Replaces "gathered" with "assembled", suggesting a more structured or constructed accumulation.

that were compiled

Employs "compiled" instead of "gathered", implying a systematic arrangement of collected items, particularly data or information.

that had been accumulated

Uses "accumulated" which suggests gradual collection over time.

which were harvested

Uses "harvested" instead of "gathered", implying a collection of natural things as crops.

that were brought together

Emphasizes the act of uniting items or people in one place.

that were derived

Focuses on the origin or source from which the items were taken.

that were amassed

Suggests a large quantity has been gathered, often implying wealth or power.

which had been culled

Replaces "gathered" with "culled", suggesting a selective collection process, often implying removal of unwanted elements.

FAQs

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

You can use "that were gathered" to describe items or information that have been collected from various sources. For instance, "The documents "that were gathered" for the investigation provided crucial evidence."

What are some alternatives to "that were gathered"?

Alternatives include "that were collected", "that were compiled", or "that were obtained", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "that was gathered" instead of "that were gathered"?

The correctness depends on the subject's plurality. Use "that was gathered" for singular subjects and "that were gathered" for plural subjects. For example, "The evidence that was gathered" (singular) versus "The pieces of evidence "that were gathered"" (plural).

What is the difference between "that were gathered" and "that were obtained"?

"That were gathered" implies a deliberate act of collecting items together, while "that were obtained" simply means the items were acquired, possibly without active collection. For example, information "that were gathered" from multiple surveys versus data "that were obtained" through a third-party vendor.