they were done

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "They were done" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has been finished or completed. For example: "The dishes were all done, so Sarah put them away in the cupboard."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"They were done.

The Washington Post

I thought they were done.

The New York Times

Some committed suicide when they were done.

The New York Times

In 10 minutes they were done.

The New York Times

They'd be killed before they were done.

The New York Times - Health

By 2 30 p.m. they were done.

The New York Times - Health

So they were done with ambition.

The Guardian - Music

They were done by someone named Pete Genzlinger.

The New York Times

They were done in 1988 and1990 by an excellent surgeon.

Harvard University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Despite a late Fulham flurry, they were done for again.

The Guardian - Sport

In each case, they were done well before 10 a.m.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "they were done" to clearly indicate the completion of an action or task by a group. Ensure the context is clear on who "they" refers to.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by ensuring the subject is clearly defined. For example, instead of saying "They were done", specify "The experiments were done" to prevent confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were done" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that the action has been completed by an unspecified agent. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a grammatically correct way to express completion. The examples show its use in various contexts, from finishing tasks to reaching a final state.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Academia

11%

Science

10%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "they were done" is a versatile and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that a group has completed an action or task. As Ludwig AI points out, it follows standard English grammar rules and is suitable for various contexts. With 63 real-world examples, Ludwig shows that it's commonly found in news, academic, and scientific sources. While alternatives exist, such as "they had finished", the original phrase remains a clear and effective way to convey completion. Ensure clarity by specifying the subject to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were finished

Synonymous, emphasizes the state of being complete.

they had finished

Uses past perfect tense to emphasize completion before another point in time.

they had completed it

Explicitly states that 'it' has been finished, adding a direct object.

they were through

Employs a simpler idiom to indicate the end of an activity.

they concluded

Formal term indicating the termination of a process or event.

they wrapped up

Uses a phrasal verb to suggest a neat and tidy end to something.

they finalized

Indicates that the last touches have been added and everything is set.

they reached the end

Highlights the attainment of the final stage or objective.

they were all over

Informal way to express that something has completely ended.

they ceased

More formal and can imply a more definitive stopping point.

FAQs

How can I use "they were done" in a sentence?

Use "they were done" to indicate that a group has finished a task or activity. For example, "After the rehearsal, "they were done" for the day".

What's a more formal way to say "they were done"?

In more formal contexts, you could say "they had finished" or "they had completed it" depending on the context.

Is "they was done" grammatically correct?

No, "they was done" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "they were done", using the plural form of the verb "to be".

What does "they were done for" mean?

"They were done for" implies that they were in a hopeless situation or doomed to failure. This is different from "they were done", which simply means they finished something. For example, "Despite a late Fulham flurry, "they were done for again"".