they located

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they located" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to the act of finding or discovering the position of something or someone. Example: "After hours of searching, they located the missing hiker in the dense forest."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A nearby station (THEY), located on Eyjafjallajökull's southern flank, did not show these horizontal movements.

Nature

If you want to say souls have a location, where are they located?

Yale University

Where were they located?

Columbia University

Altogether, they located fewer than a dozen.

The New York Times

Are they located on busier roads?

The New York Times

Where in the world are they located?

The New York Times

They located the sunken boat shortly after.

The New York Times

Where are they located in relation to the refuge?

The New York Times

They located this bedrock in the "microfoundations" of macroeconomic behaviour.

The Economist

They located an old woman in Odessa who knew him & had seen him.

The New Yorker

"Where are they located?" "Some of them are in Japan, I believe," the attorney said.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "they located", ensure the subject is clearly defined and the context implies a specific search or effort to find something, not just a general finding.

Common error

Avoid using "they located" in sentences where it's unclear who 'they' refers to, or where a more direct verb like 'found' would be clearer and more concise. For instance, instead of 'It was they located the error', say 'They found the error'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they located" functions as a transitive verb phrase, indicating that a subject (they) performed the action of finding or discovering something. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they located" is a grammatically sound and usable way to express that a group has successfully found or discovered something, as supported by Ludwig AI. While not as common as simpler alternatives like "they found", it adds a nuance of searching or effort to the act of finding. It appears most frequently in news and media contexts, and its use is generally considered neutral in tone. When employing this phrase, ensure the subject is clearly defined and the context suggests a focused search.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they found

Simple synonym with a more general meaning of finding something.

they discovered

Implies a more intentional finding or uncovering of something previously unknown.

they identified

Suggests a more specific recognition or pinpointing of something.

they pinpointed

Emphasizes precision in finding the exact location or detail.

they tracked down

Indicates a process of searching and eventually finding something difficult to locate.

they detected

Implies using a specific method or technology to find something, like a signal or trace.

they discerned

Suggests finding something through careful observation and understanding.

they came across

Describes finding something unexpectedly or by chance.

they unearthed

Suggests uncovering something hidden or buried, often with significant effort.

they established the whereabouts

Implies confirming someone or something's location or position

FAQs

How can I use "they located" in a sentence?

Use "they located" to indicate that a group successfully found something after searching for it. For example, "After a long search, "they located" the missing documents".

What's a more common alternative to "they located"?

A more common alternative is "they found". It's simpler and more widely used in everyday language.

Is it better to say "they located" or "they were located"?

"They located" is active voice, indicating the subject performed the action of locating. "They were located" is passive voice, indicating the subject was found. Choose the one that best fits the meaning you want to convey.

What's the difference between "they located" and "they identified"?

"They located" implies finding the physical location of something, while "they identified" suggests recognizing or determining the nature of something. For example, "They located the source of the signal" vs. "They identified the unknown species".