there were never

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "there were never" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is often used to express a continuous negative state of something in the past. Example: "There were never enough hours in the day for John to finish all of his work." In this example, the speaker is emphasizing the fact that no matter how hard John worked, he was never able to complete all of his tasks in the limited amount of time he had.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Even under apartheid there were never whites-only roads.

The Guardian

In fact there were never 50 of them.

BBC

There were never enough.

The New York Times

There were never any problems.

The New York Times

"There were never any openings".

The New York Times

There were never any concerns".

The Guardian - Sport

"There were never inappropriate gifts".

The New York Times

There were never any riots before.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

There were never-ending supplies of deli sandwiches, chinese noodles, Dunkin Donuts and Bombay Sapphire gin.

HuffPost

There's never blood.

Independent

There is never enough.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "there were never" to clearly and directly state the absence of something in the past. This phrase is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "there was never" when referring to plural nouns. The correct form is "there were never" to maintain subject-verb agreement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there were never" functions as an existential construction expressing a negative assertion about the existence or occurrence of something in the past. It denies the presence or happening of an event, object, or condition, as supported by Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Academia

17%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "there were never" is a versatile phrase used to assert the non-existence of something in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly in news and media contexts. When writing, remember to maintain subject-verb agreement and use this phrase to convey a clear sense of absence. For variety, consider alternatives like "there have never been" or "at no time were there", depending on the desired level of formality. By following these guidelines, you can effectively and accurately express the absence of something in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there have never been

Changes the tense to present perfect, emphasizing that something has not occurred up to the present.

there had never been

Shifts the tense to past perfect, indicating a lack of something before a specific point in the past.

at no time were there

Adds emphasis and formality to the absence of something.

never were there

Inverts the sentence structure for emphasis, making it sound more dramatic or literary.

there did not exist

Emphasizes the non-existence of something in the past.

there was a complete absence of

Focuses on the total lack of something.

nothing ever existed

Emphasizes that nothing of a particular type or description existed.

it never happened that there were

Adds more complexity to express the same absence.

it was unheard of for there to be

Highlights the unexpected or unprecedented nature of something not existing.

no instances ever occurred of

Formal and emphatic way of saying something never happened.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "there were never" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "at no time were there", or "never were there". These alternatives add emphasis and a touch of sophistication to your writing.

Is "there was never" grammatically correct?

The phrase "there was never" is grammatically correct when used with singular nouns. With plural nouns use "there were never".

What is the difference between "there were no" and "there were never"?

While both express absence, "there were never" implies a continuous absence over a period of time, whereas "there were no" simply states that something did not exist or occur at a particular time.

How to use "there were never" in a sentence?

You can use "there were never" to indicate the absence of something in the past, for example: "There were never any complaints about the food."