they either were

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'they either were' is correct and usable in written English.
It is used when it is necessary to give two options, or to discuss two possibilities. For example: "They either were waiting for the train, or had already departed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

They either were acquitted or, even worse, were never charged with a crime at all.

The Guardian - Opinion

As the crisis wore on, they either were brought to the convention center forcibly, by police, or dragged themselves in, defeated by thirst, hunger, and heat.

The New Yorker

They either were preoccupied facing the wrong way or were isolated with nowhere to go when they did cross the halfway line.

The New York Times - Sports

While capstans were found to be suitable for quasi-static tests, they either were not strong enough or had too high inertia for dynamic tests in a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar setup.

International Journal of Impact Engineering

Crosby said of his strip of McCareins: "Since Mason had scored and they didn't get the conversion, they either were going to try an onside kick or kick it away and play defense.

The New York Times - Sports

In other cases, they either were incorporated into the existing structure of the ecosystem or were responsible for modifying native food chains by outcompeting native competitors or decimating native prey.

Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

"They either are going to start to listen, or they're going to be punished".

The New York Times

So they either aren't using cocaine or they've always been using cocaine.

The New Yorker

This is ample time to ensure that they either are passed or rejected.

BBC

They either are acting lovingly, which makes it easy for us to respond with love.

HuffPost

c) They either are or are not correct in their feeling of that weirdness.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Follow "they either were" with parallel grammatical structures to maintain clarity and balance. For example: "They either were prepared for the exam, or they were completely unprepared."

Common error

Avoid using non-parallel structures after "they either were". Ensure the grammatical structure following "either" matches the structure following "or". For example, avoid: "They either were exhausted, or didn't study enough."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they either were" functions as a connector introducing alternative possibilities or states related to a subject. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and broad applicability across various sentence structures. This phrase sets up a choice between two options concerning the subject.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

44%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they either were" is a grammatically sound and frequently used construction that introduces two alternative possibilities related to a subject. Ludwig AI confirms that it is generally correct. It's versatile, appearing in contexts ranging from news and media to scientific writing. To use it effectively, ensure that the alternatives are distinct and parallel in grammatical structure. Common errors involve non-parallel sentence structures or mismatched verb forms. With its neutral register and widespread usage, "they either were" is a valuable tool for expressing choices and presenting options in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were either

Reorders the phrase, placing "were" after "either" for a slight change in emphasis.

either they were

Inverts the phrase for emphasis on the 'either' condition.

they had been either

Uses past perfect to indicate a state prior to a past time.

they could have been either

Introduces possibility using "could have been", focusing on potential past states.

they must have been either

Implies strong likelihood or deduction about a past state.

it was either that they were

Uses an introductory clause to set up the alternative possibilities.

the options were either

Shifts focus to the options available using a different sentence structure.

the alternatives were either

Similar to the previous phrase, but emphasizes the choice of alternatives.

they were possibly either

Emphasizes the uncertainty of the situation.

they happened to be either

Suggests a chance or coincidental nature to the possibilities.

FAQs

How do I use "they either were" in a sentence?

"They either were" is used to present two alternatives, indicating that one of the two options is true or possible. For example, "They either were at the library, or they went home".

What phrases are similar to "they either were"?

Similar phrases include "they were either", "either they were", or constructions like "the options were either". These alternatives offer slight variations in emphasis and sentence structure. See also "they were either" or "either they were".

Is it grammatically correct to say "they either was"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. "They" is a plural pronoun and requires the plural form of the verb "to be", which is "were". Therefore, the correct phrase is "they either were".

What's the difference between "they either were" and "they were either"?

The phrases "they either were" and "they were either" have slightly different emphases, but convey the same meaning. The first emphasizes the existence of two alternatives related to "they", while the second simply lists the options that apply to "they". For example, you can read the phrase "they were either" in context.