there were found

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase “there were found” is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that was discovered or identified. For example: "Investigators searched the area and there were found several pieces of evidence pointing to the perpetrator."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

Power plants there were found to emit too much sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, pollutants that can travel long distances and harm people.The agency told these states how much pollution to cut and how to do it.

The Economist

In eggplant cultivars grown with organic and conventional farming practices there were found no significant trend regarding the phenolic acids content [18].

Chemistry Central Journal

The city in southern Mexico came under the international glare for the dozens of clandestine graves there were found in its surroundings after the September 26 police attacks against students from the Ayotzinapa Normal School.

Vice

In the group of septic patients there were found an association between serum sCD40L levels and tissue factor levels (rho = 0.26; P = 0.005) and platelet count (rho = 0.26; P < 0.001); but no association with lactatemia, TNF-α and IL-10 levels, SOFA or APACHE-II scores were observed (Table 6).

Critical Care

There were found significant relationships between educational background and colour preferences for living room.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

For pancreatin, trypsin, lipase and amylase there were found two different optimum condition sets.

Talanta

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

there is found inherently a being-directed-toward….

Encyclopedia Britannica

There was found to be two types of characteristic clusters.

Earth, Planets and Space

Concomitantly there was found a mutual proportionality of buffer capacities towards pH and pM, mentioned above.

Ecological Processes

Mosques or other places of worship can be shut down if preachers there are found to be promoting radical ideology.

BBC

There was found that the prevalence of stress was 52%.

BMC Public Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the passive voice, ensure the agent performing the action is either unknown or unimportant. For example, "The missing documents were found in the archive" is better than "It was found that the documents were missing" if the finder is irrelevant.

Common error

While grammatically correct, relying too heavily on passive constructions like "there were found" can make writing sound indirect and less engaging. Opt for active voice when appropriate for a more direct and impactful style. For example, instead of "There were found several errors in the report", consider "The report contained several errors".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there were found" functions as an existential construction in the passive voice. It introduces the existence or discovery of something, shifting the focus from the agent performing the action to the object being discovered. Ludwig AI confirms its validity for expressing discovery or identification.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "there were found" is a grammatically sound and very common passive voice construction used to introduce the existence or discovery of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is valid and serves to report findings in a neutral manner. It sees frequent use in Science, News & Media and Academic contexts but is far less common in more informal registers. Writers should aim for clarity by employing direct, active phrasing when appropriate, and be cautious of over-relying on the passive form.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was discovered that

Focuses on the act of discovery rather than simply stating existence.

it was determined that

Emphasizes a process of investigation leading to a conclusion.

were identified

Highlights the act of identifying specific items or elements.

were located

Specific to physical location or finding something in a particular place.

were detected

Implies the use of instruments or methods to sense or discover something.

were uncovered

Suggests something previously hidden has been revealed.

were revealed

Similar to uncovered, but can also apply to non-physical discoveries.

were ascertained

More formal, indicating a fact was established after inquiry.

were unearthed

Emphasizes excavation or bringing something to light after being buried or forgotten.

were noticed

Implies that something was observed casually.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "there were found" to sound more active?

Consider using active voice constructions like "researchers discovered", "investigators located", or "the analysis revealed" depending on the context. For example, instead of "There were found several errors", try "The analysis "revealed several errors"".

What's the difference between "there were found" and "there was found"?

"There were found" is used when referring to multiple items, while "there was found" is used for a single item. For instance, "There were found several discrepancies" versus "There was found a single discrepancy".

Is "there were found" formal or informal language?

"There were found" is generally considered neutral to formal. It is acceptable in academic, news, and business contexts. More informal options may include phrases like "they found" or "we discovered".

What are some alternatives to "there were found" in academic writing?

In academic writing, consider more precise alternatives like "analysis indicated", "results demonstrated", or "the study revealed". For example, instead of "There were found significant correlations", use "The analysis "indicated significant correlations"".