they were information

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "they were information" is not correct in standard written English.
It is not usable because "information" is an uncountable noun and cannot be used in the plural form with "they were." Example: "They were information that helped us understand the situation better."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

However the participants were chosen because they were information rich and gave informed opinion about the issue being explored.

BMC Health Services Research

Setbacks and feedback weren't about your abilities, they were information you could use to help yourself learn.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

They were information-based pictures in the "documentary style" – to use the definition he would later attach to his own photographs – and he recognised how they affected the way he looked at the world.

The Guardian - Arts

They are information providers, and the lists of dodgy sites and servers is open for scrutiny.

The Guardian - Opinion

The bulletins are not recalls; they are information provided to dealer service departments and other mechanics.

The New York Times

The bulletins are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to dealers' service departments and other mechanics.

The New York Times

The bulletins are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to dealer service departments and mechanics.

The New York Times

The bulletins are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to mechanics and dealers' service departments.

The New York Times

The bulletins are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to their dealers' service departments and to mechanics.

The New York Times

The bulletins are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to their dealers' service departments and mechanics.

The New York Times

The bulletins, known as T.S.B.'s, are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to dealers' service departments.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to information in a plural sense, rephrase to use verbs like "contained", "provided", or nouns like "details" or "insights" to maintain grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "information" as a plural noun. Instead of saying "they were information", use a more accurate phrase like "they provided details" or "they contained information".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were information" is grammatically incorrect. The word "information" is an uncountable noun, and thus it cannot be used in plural form. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment and suggests alternative phrasing.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they were information" is grammatically incorrect because "information" is an uncountable noun and cannot be pluralized. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this makes the phrase unsuitable for formal or academic writing. Instead, use alternatives like "they contained information", "they provided details", or "they offered insights" to correctly convey your intended meaning. While the phrase appears across various source types, its grammatical incorrectness necessitates avoiding its use in formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they offered information

Replaces 'were' with 'offered' to show the act of providing information.

they contained information

Uses 'contained' to indicate the presence of information.

they provided details

Uses 'details' as a plural noun, a more grammatically sound alternative.

they consisted of information

Indicates that information made up the whole.

they presented data

Uses 'data' as a term for information.

it was informative

Changes the subject and verb while keeping the adjective 'informative'.

they shared insights

Employs 'insights' to represent information provided.

they reported facts

Substitutes 'information' with 'facts' for objective statements.

they communicated findings

Replaces 'information' with 'findings' to express the results of an investigation.

it gave information

Replaces 'they were' with 'it gave'.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the word "information" in a sentence?

Since "information" is an uncountable noun, it should not be pluralized. Use it with singular verbs or rephrase your sentence to use countable nouns like "details" or "insights".

What can I say instead of "they were information"?

Consider alternatives such as "they contained information", "they provided details", or "they offered insights" depending on the context.

Is "they were information" grammatically correct?

No, "they were information" is grammatically incorrect. "Information" is an uncountable noun and should not be used in the plural form. Use alternative phrasing to convey your intended meaning.

What's the difference between "they were information" and "they provided information"?

"They were information" is grammatically incorrect as "information" is uncountable. A correct alternative is "they provided information", which uses the verb "provided" to show the act of giving information.