they were planned to

USAGE SUMMARY

"they were planned to" is a correct and usable form of written English.
You can use it when referring to something that was intended to happen but hasn't yet. For example, "The renovations were planned to begin in the summer, but due to a delay, they did not start until fall."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

She said Mr. Ravi's actions "were planned to expose Tyler Clementi's sexual orientation, and they were planned to expose Tyler Clementi's private sexual activity".

The New York Times

Unlike Gloire, they were planned to be fast enough to force battle on a fleeing enemy and to control the range at which a battle was fought to their own advantage.

Wikipedia

Patients who were planned with 2D, 3D conformal or intensity-modulated radiotherapy were included in the analysis, provided they were planned to receive both induction and concomitant chemotherapy.

British Journal of Cancer

All patients receiving other fractionation regimens were included, provided they were planned to receive a biologically equivalent dose (BED) equal to or greater than our standard fractionation.

British Journal of Cancer

Things don't always turn out the way they were planned to.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

They were planning to start ESPNU.

The New York Times

"They were planning to raise my rent to 1,000 dollars.

The New York Times

They were planning to listen to the radio.

The New Yorker

They were planning to attend different colleges in the fall.

The New York Times

Many school districts said they were planning to sign on.

The New York Times

They were planning to make the journey in river barges.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "they were planned to" when you want to emphasize that a specific intention or design was in place for an action or event, even if it hasn't occurred yet. This can add clarity when discussing future arrangements or intentions.

Common error

Avoid using "they were planned to" when describing an action that is already in progress. The phrase indicates a future or intended action, not a present one. Use a present continuous tense (e.g., "they are planning to") if the action is ongoing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were planned to" functions as a passive construction indicating a prior intention or arrangement. Ludwig confirms its correctness. It highlights that a specific action or event was part of a pre-existing plan.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "they were planned to" is a grammatically sound construction used to indicate that something was intended or scheduled to occur as part of a prior plan. While relatively rare in usage according to Ludwig, it's found across various contexts like news, science and wiki content. It effectively communicates intention and scheduling, and its neutral register makes it suitable for diverse writing scenarios. Ludwig AI validates its correctness, emphasizing its role in describing intended, but not necessarily realized, actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were intended to

Replaces "planned" with "intended", emphasizing purpose rather than just scheduling.

they were scheduled to

Focuses specifically on the scheduling aspect of the original phrase.

it was their plan to

Shifts the structure to emphasize the plan itself, rather than the action.

they had arranged to

Highlights the arrangement or preparation involved in the plan.

they aimed to

Shortens the phrase, focusing on the objective or goal.

they purposed to

Uses a more formal tone, emphasizing intention or determination.

they set out to

Emphasizes the beginning or initiation of an action or plan.

their intention was to

Changes the structure to highlight the intention behind the action.

they designed it to

Shifts the focus to the design or purpose behind something.

the expectation was they would

Focuses on the anticipation or expectation of the action.

FAQs

How do I use "they were planned to" in a sentence?

Use "they were planned to" to indicate that something was intended or scheduled to happen. For example, "The renovations "they were planned to" begin in the summer, but they were delayed."

What can I say instead of "they were planned to"?

You can use alternatives like "they were intended to", "they were scheduled to", or "it was their plan to" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "they were planned to" or "they are planning to"?

Both are correct but have different meanings. "They were planned to" refers to a past intention, while "they are planning to" describes a current intention or activity.

What's the difference between "they were planned to" and "they were supposed to"?

"They were planned to" emphasizes a formal intention or arrangement, while "they were supposed to" indicates an expectation or obligation, which can be more informal.