they were glad

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they were glad" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express happiness or satisfaction about a situation or event involving a group of people. Example: "After hearing the good news, they were glad to celebrate together."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were glad to see art destroyed.

The Guardian - Arts

Some local residents said they were glad Benedict was coming.

The New York Times

In the end, they were glad to be proved wrong.

The Economist

They were glad that most such buildings included a gym.

The New York Times

"I guess they were glad to see me," Burns says.

The Washington Post

They were glad to be rid of the oil tanks".

The New York Times

I think they were glad to hear that.

The New Yorker

They were glad, at least, for a separate kitchen.

The New York Times

I think they were glad to have some serious academic and humanitarian leaders in the audience.

Yale University

G.M. representatives said they were glad to see that the Russian investor had abandoned the deal.

The New York Times

Two years into retirement, she added, they were glad they moved close to medical care.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context and choose synonyms like "they were happy" or "they were delighted" to add nuance to the expression.

Common error

While "glad" is suitable for most contexts, avoid assuming it's exclusively formal. In casual settings, "happy" can often be a more natural and appropriate substitute, but "glad" is also perfectly acceptable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were glad" functions as a declarative statement expressing a group's feeling of happiness or satisfaction. Ludwig confirms its validity and usability in various contexts. It uses the pronoun 'they' as the subject, 'were' as the past tense of the verb 'to be', and 'glad' as an adjective describing their emotional state.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they were glad" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to convey a group's positive emotional response. According to Ludwig, it's versatile and appears commonly in various sources, primarily in News & Media and Academia. While synonyms like "they were happy" exist, "they were glad" remains a clear and effective way to express satisfaction or pleasure. Remember to choose synonyms that reflects the context appropriately.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were happy

Substitutes "glad" with "happy", providing a more common and straightforward alternative.

they felt pleased

Replaces "glad" with "pleased", offering a slightly more formal tone.

they were delighted

Replaces "glad" with "delighted", suggesting a higher degree of pleasure.

it pleased them

Changes the sentence structure while retaining the meaning.

they were satisfied

Implies fulfillment of a need or expectation.

they rejoiced

Uses a more emphatic verb to express great joy or delight.

they took satisfaction in

Indicates that they found enjoyment or fulfillment in something.

they were thankful

Emphasizes gratitude as the reason for their positive feeling.

they felt relieved

Conveys a sense of comfort and ease after a stressful situation.

they were content

Expresses a state of peaceful satisfaction.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "they were glad"?

You can use alternatives like "they were happy", "they were delighted", or "they felt pleased" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "they were glad"?

Yes, "they were glad" is grammatically correct. It follows the standard subject-verb-adjective structure and is widely used in written and spoken English.

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

You can use "they were glad" to express that a group of people felt happy or satisfied about something. For example: "They were glad to hear the good news." or "They were glad that the project was completed on time."

What is the difference between "they were glad" and "they were happy"?

While both phrases express positive emotions, "they were happy" is generally a more common and versatile expression. "They were glad" can sometimes imply a specific reason or cause for their happiness.