they were arrived

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they were arrived" is not correct and not usable in written English.
The correct form would typically be "they arrived" or "they have arrived." Example: "After a long journey, they arrived at the destination."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

The firm said they were arrived at using a different methodology than the one used for the recently published numbers.

The New York Times

Dewey defended the numbers it had reported as accurate, explaining that they were arrived at using a different methodology than the one use for its recently published numbers.

The New York Times

So far, only mortgage lenders and people whose loan applications were turned down are entitled to learn their scores and how they were arrived at.

The New York Times

"While the thoughts themselves may have been reprehensible and deeply disturbing," said Raymond Vasvari, who heads the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, "it needs to be stressed that they were arrived at and recorded in the privacy of this man's home for no one's consumption but his own".

The New York Times

Buyers and sellers could understand the numbers, how they were arrived at and the value that could be attached to them.

TechCrunch

Although the raw frequencies are not high (seven was the highest count), they were arrived at from responses to questions that did not prompt students to discuss positive collaborative activities.

International Journal of STEM Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

They were arriving.

The New York Times

They were arriving in sets like families on an outing.

The New York Times

"The chicken, they were arriving from the farmer and they were alive.

The New York Times - Food

When local residents pressed the officer to inform them where they were arriving from — "Were there clashes in Tahrir?

The New Yorker

(He somewhat whimsically calculated that they were arriving on the pumice plain at a rate of eight-tenths of a spider per square metre per day).

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "they were arrived". Use the active voice, such as "they arrived", or the present perfect, "they have arrived", for clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Do not use the passive construction "they were arrived" when you mean "they arrived". The passive form is rarely appropriate and sounds awkward. Stick to the simple past tense for directness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were arrived" is generally intended to describe the action of a group or entity reaching a destination. It attempts to convey the idea of arrival but fails due to incorrect grammatical construction. Ludwig AI highlights that this phrase is non-standard and suggests corrections.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they were arrived" is grammatically incorrect and rarely used in standard English. As Ludwig AI clearly points out, the correct alternatives are the active voice constructions "they arrived" or "they have arrived". Although examples can be found in various sources, including news and media outlets, these instances are likely errors or occur within quoted speech. Therefore, it is best to avoid using this phrase and opt for grammatically correct alternatives to ensure clarity and professionalism in writing and speech.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they arrived

This is the simplest and most direct correction, replacing the passive voice with active voice.

they have arrived

This uses the present perfect tense to indicate that they arrived at some point in the past and are still here or the result of their arrival is still relevant.

they had arrived

This uses the past perfect tense to indicate that they arrived before a specific point in the past.

they showed up

This is an informal alternative to "they arrived", suggesting their presence became known.

they reached

This focuses on the action of reaching a destination.

they got here

An informal way of saying they successfully made it to a location.

they came

A more general and simple term for arrival.

they were present

This emphasizes their presence at a specific place or event.

they materialized

A more figurative way to say they appeared, often unexpectedly.

their arrival

This is a noun phrase referring to the event of them arriving, rather than the action itself.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "they were arrived"?

The correct way to express this idea is to use the active voice: "they arrived" or "they have arrived". The original phrase is grammatically incorrect.

Is "they were arrived" grammatically correct?

No, "they were arrived" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "they arrived".

Can I use "they were arrived" in a sentence?

It's best to avoid using "they were arrived" in writing or speech, as it's grammatically incorrect. Use "they arrived" or "they have arrived" instead.

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

"They arrived" is the correct, active voice construction, meaning they completed the action of arriving. "They were arrived" is grammatically incorrect and should not be used.