they were either

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they were either" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when presenting two alternatives or options regarding a subject or situation. Example: "They were either going to the party or staying home for the night."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"They were either killed or fled Iraq.

The New Yorker

They were either alcoholics or drug addicts.

The Guardian - Film

They were either employees or trainees from the institute.

Psychologie Française

They were either unhelped or retraumatized by our interventions".

The New York Times - Magazine

They were either hawking stuff or carting it off.

The New York Times

They were either too hot or too wet.

The New Yorker

When they emerged, they were either beaming or frowning.

The New York Times - Sports

They were either sniped, or he was screened.

The Washington Post

"They were either mechanical engineers or they were computer scientists.

Harvard Business Review

They were either too dumb or too determined.

The New York Times - Sports

By June, they were either sold out or toast.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "they were either", ensure that the two alternatives you present are mutually exclusive to avoid ambiguity. For example, "They were either at home or at work" provides a clear choice.

Common error

Avoid using "they were either" without clearly stating both alternatives. For instance, saying "They were either tired" leaves the sentence unfinished and unclear. It's necessary to complete the sentence with the other option: "They were either tired or bored".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were either" functions as a correlative conjunction, introducing two alternative possibilities or options. It sets up a binary choice, as seen in examples from Ludwig, such as "They were either killed or fled Iraq."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "they were either" serves as a correlative conjunction, presenting two alternative possibilities. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and widely used. It is most frequently found in News & Media, Science and Formal & Business contexts, indicating a neutral register. To use this phrase effectively, ensure you provide two clear, mutually exclusive options to avoid ambiguity. Common errors include omitting one of the alternatives. By following these guidelines, you can confidently incorporate "they were either" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they could have been

Changes the tense and certainty, suggesting possibility rather than a statement of fact.

they might have been

Similar to 'could have been', offering a possible alternative with a degree of uncertainty.

they were possibly

Replaces 'either' with 'possibly', focusing on likelihood without explicitly stating two options.

they were perhaps

Uses 'perhaps' instead of 'either', indicating uncertainty about the alternatives.

they were probably

Uses 'probably' as an adverb to express the likelihood, instead of the phrase "they were either".

they must have been

Shifts the modality to necessity or strong likelihood, differing from presenting options.

it was possible they were

Shifts the focus to the possibility of their state, rather than a direct statement of alternatives.

they would be

Changes the construction to conditional, indicating what they would be under certain circumstances.

they had been

Focuses on a past state, without necessarily presenting alternative options.

they are likely to be

Expresses a probability about a current or future state, instead of presenting distinct past alternatives.

FAQs

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

Use "they were either" to introduce two distinct possibilities or choices concerning a subject. For example, "They were either going to the party, or staying home to relax."

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

Depending on the context, consider replacing "they were either" with "they were possibly", or rephrase the sentence to avoid the construction altogether for a more formal tone.

Is it grammatically correct to use "they were either"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct as long as it introduces two clear and distinct alternatives. Avoid using it with vague or incomplete options.

What are some common mistakes when using "they were either"?

A common mistake is omitting one of the alternatives, leaving the sentence incomplete. Always ensure both options are clearly stated. For example, instead of "They were either happy", say "They were "happy or sad"".