they were invited

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "They were invited" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you need to express that somebody was given an invitation. For example: "The Smiths were invited to the party last Saturday."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The lower castes felt honoured if they were invited and usually accepted such invitations.

Wikipedia

They were invited.

The New York Times - Sports

They were invited by Reps.

The Washington Post

They were invited into research on aging.

Cornell University

They were invited on television talk shows.

The New York Times

In 1989 they were invited to play in South Africa.

The Guardian

They were invited to send for the premier issue free.

The New York Times

Others seemed a little befuddled about why they were invited.

The New York Times

They were invited inside the prison to attend the performance.

The Guardian

They were invited to Istanbul, to be on TV.

The New Yorker

"Eventually, they were invited into the living room".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "they were invited", ensure the context clearly indicates who extended the invitation and the nature of the event or activity.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by ensuring that the pronoun "they" has a clear and immediate antecedent. Vague references can confuse the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were invited" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the subject ('they') received an invitation from an unspecified agent. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. The structure highlights the action done to the subject, rather than who performed the action.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "they were invited" is a common and grammatically correct way to indicate that a group received an invitation. Ludwig AI validates its usability across various contexts. It's particularly prevalent in News & Media and Science, implying a neutral register suitable for conveying information. Remember to ensure clarity in pronoun reference and consider context when choosing synonyms for different levels of formality or emphasis. As exemplified by Ludwig, the phrase effectively communicates that an invitation was extended, often implying selection or privilege.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they received an invitation

Emphasizes the act of receiving the invitation.

an invitation was extended to them

A more formal and passive way of saying they were invited.

they were asked to attend

Highlights the request to be present.

they were welcomed to join

Focuses on the aspect of being included or welcomed.

they were selected to attend

Emphasizes a selection process.

they gained admittance

Implies gaining entry, possibly after a selection process.

they were granted access

Highlights the permission aspect of the invitation.

they were requested to be present

Highlights the formality of the request.

they were given leave to participate

Emphasizes permission or authorization to take part.

they were approved for participation

Implies a formal approval process before being invited.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "they were invited" to sound more formal?

Consider using alternatives like "an invitation was extended to them" or "they were formally requested to attend" for a more formal tone.

What's a synonym for "they were invited" that implies exclusivity?

Phrases like "they were handpicked" or "they were specially selected" suggest a more exclusive invitation.

What is the difference between "they were invited" and "they were allowed"?

"They were invited" implies a specific invitation was given, while "they were allowed" suggests permission was granted, but not necessarily through a formal invitation.

How to use "they were invited" in a sentence?

You can say, "They were invited to the conference" or "They were invited to participate in the study." Make sure the context clarifies who "they" refers to.