they were missing

USAGE SUMMARY

"they were missing" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
For example, "The family suddenly realized that two of their children were missing from the car."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were missing sodas.

The Guardian - Sport

They were missing popular culture.

The New Yorker

They were missing an identity.

The New York Times - Sports

They were missing their appointments.

The Guardian

But they were missing the point.

The New York Times - Books

No one even noticed they were missing.

The New York Times

"If they weren't, they were missing out".

The Guardian - Sport

"And they were missing the physical readiness".

The New York Times - Sports

He thought they were missing the point.

The New Yorker

"I felt like they were missing out".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"I thought... LeBron was the only thing they were missing".

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add nuance, specify why "they were missing" something. For example, "they were missing key data due to a system malfunction" provides more context than simply "they were missing".

Common error

Avoid using "they were missing" without a clear antecedent for "they". Unclear references can confuse readers. Instead of "The report was incomplete; they were missing", specify: "The report was incomplete; key data points were missing".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were missing" functions as a predicate in a sentence, indicating a state of absence or lack. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts, expressing that something or someone was not present or available. Examples from Ludwig show its application in describing missing items, people, or qualities.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "they were missing" is a versatile and commonly used expression indicating absence or lack. Grammatically sound and applicable in various contexts, as validated by Ludwig AI, it primarily serves to inform about what is lacking in a situation. While suitable for both formal and informal communication, careful attention should be paid to pronoun clarity to avoid ambiguity. Related phrases, such as "they lacked" or "they were without", offer alternative ways to express similar ideas. Analysis of Ludwig examples reveals its frequent occurrence in news, scientific, and business contexts, further solidifying its widespread usability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they lacked

Focuses on the absence of a required element or quality.

they didn't have

Emphasizes the lack of possession of something.

they were without

Highlights a state of being deprived of something.

they were short of

Indicates a deficiency or insufficient amount.

they omitted

Stresses the act of leaving something out intentionally or unintentionally.

they overlooked

Implies a failure to notice or consider something important.

they failed to include

Highlights the action of not incorporating something.

they didn't notice

Focuses on a lack of awareness or perception.

they weren't present

Emphasizes the absence of people or things from a specific location or situation.

they weren't included

Highlights the exclusion of something or someone.

FAQs

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

You can use "they were missing" to indicate that something or someone was absent. For example, "The team played poorly because "they were missing their star player"" or "The recipe didn't turn out right because "they were missing a key ingredient"".

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

In more formal contexts, consider using phrases like "they lacked", "they were without", or "they were deficient in". For instance, instead of "they were missing crucial information", you could say "they lacked crucial information".

Is it grammatically correct to say "they was missing" instead of "they were missing"?

No, "they was missing" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "they were missing" because "they" is a plural pronoun and requires the plural form of the verb "to be", which is "were".

What's the difference between saying "they were missing something" and "they missed something"?

"They were missing something" generally implies that something was absent or lacking. "They missed something" usually indicates that they failed to notice or experience something. For example, "They were missing a piece of the puzzle" suggests the puzzle was incomplete, while "they missed the opportunity" means they failed to take advantage of it.