they were seen

USAGE SUMMARY

"they were seen" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone or something has been noticed, observed, spotted, or identified. For example: "The robbers were seen fleeing the scene of the crime."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were seen everywhere together.

The New Yorker

They were seen as novelties.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They were seen by several surviving witnesses.

The Guardian - Books

They were seen as indiscriminate and predatory.

The Guardian

They were seen as foreign corruptors of the faith.

Yale University

They were seen as if they could see the poet.

The Guardian - Books

For years, they were seen as an easy money generator.

The New York Times

They were seen as flesh and blood individuals.

The Guardian - Opinion

They were seen as too controversial and expensive.

The Guardian - Opinion

It was the last time they were seen alive.

The Guardian - Books

Was it the last place they were seen?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "they were seen", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what is doing the seeing, even if it's implied or general knowledge within the context.

Common error

Ensure the context makes it clear who or what did the seeing, otherwise the sentence can become vague and confusing. Be explicit if necessary to maintain clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "they were seen" functions primarily as a passive construction, indicating that a group or multiple entities were the object of observation. Ludwig AI confirms this common usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Academia

22%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "they were seen" is a versatile phrase used to indicate observation, primarily employed in a passive voice. Ludwig AI confirms it to be grammatically correct and widely applicable across diverse contexts like news, academia, and science. While the phrase maintains a neutral register, its usage is most prevalent in news and media. For alternatives, consider "they were observed" or "they were noticed". Ensure contextual clarity to prevent ambiguity. When writing, using the phrase "they were seen" emphasizes the action of observation and allows you to focus on the observed subjects.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they were observed

Replaces "seen" with a more formal synonym, "observed".

they were noticed

Substitutes "seen" with "noticed", emphasizing the act of being recognized.

they were detected

Uses "detected" instead of "seen", implying that something was found or discovered.

they were spotted

Replaces "seen" with "spotted", suggesting a brief or casual observation.

they were identified

Uses "identified" instead of "seen", emphasizing recognition or confirmation of identity.

they were caught

Replaces "seen" with "caught", implying being observed in an act.

they were discovered

Uses "discovered" instead of "seen", emphasizing finding something previously unknown.

they were witnessed

Substitutes "seen" with "witnessed", suggesting a formal or official observation.

people saw them

Transforms the passive voice into an active voice construction.

it was apparent that they existed

Rephrases to indicate that their existence became clear.

FAQs

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

Use "they were seen" when you want to express that someone or something was observed or noticed. For example, "They were seen leaving the building late at night".

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

You can use alternatives like "they were observed", "they were noticed", or "they were spotted" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "they were seen" or "they was seen"?

"They were seen" is correct because "were" is the plural form of the past tense of "to be", which agrees with the plural pronoun "they". "They was seen" is grammatically incorrect.

Is "they were seen" formal or informal?

"They were seen" is generally considered neutral in formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. The formality often depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of the writing.