was an intern

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'was an intern' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a person's job or volunteer experience, usually in the past tense. For example: She was an intern at a local hospital last summer.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

She was a second-year resident in internal medicine, and he was an intern in general surgery.

The New York Times

I thought he was an intern.

The New York Times - Magazine

(I was an intern there in 2004).

The New Yorker

She also was an intern with Amazon.com.

Princeton University

Later, in 2009, he was an intern at the company.

The New York Times

Gabe was an intern for me at Intel.

Independent

Previously, she was an intern for the Post's Metro section.

The Washington Post

The next summer, he was an intern in Lieberman's office.

The Washington Post

I too was an intern in the J.F.K. White House.

The New York Times

During college, I was an intern at Bear Stearns.

The New York Times

Ten years ago I was an intern at Children's Village.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing past experiences, use "was an intern" to clearly indicate a temporary work or learning role. Ensure to specify the organization and timeframe for context.

Common error

Avoid using present tense when describing a past internship. Instead of "I am an intern", use "I was an intern" when referring to a completed experience. Always provide context by specifying the organization and dates.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was an intern" functions as a predicate nominative, identifying the subject as having held the role of an intern in the past. It's a common way to describe someone's past experience, as demonstrated in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Academia

14%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

11%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was an intern" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for describing a past internship experience. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a straightforward way to indicate a previous role. Usage is especially common in news articles and academic contexts, highlighting its versatility. For alternative phrasing, consider "served as an intern" or "worked as an intern" for similar meanings. Remember to provide context regarding the organization and timeframe when using the phrase to ensure clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

served as an intern

Emphasizes the act of performing the duties of an intern.

worked as an intern

Highlights the work aspect of the internship experience.

held an internship

Focuses on the position or role held during the internship.

participated in an internship program

Highlights the structured program aspect of the internship.

completed an internship

Emphasizes the completion of the internship period.

gained experience as an intern

Highlights the experiential learning aspect of the internship.

interned at

A more concise way of expressing the internship experience using the verb form.

was a trainee

Focuses on the learning aspect, implying a more formal training program.

had an internship opportunity

Focuses on the opportunity and experience, not necessarily accomplishment.

spent time as an intern

Highlights the duration of the internship experience.

FAQs

How can I use "was an intern" in a sentence?

You can use "was an intern" to describe a past work experience, such as "I was an intern at Google last summer".

What's a more formal way to say "was an intern"?

More formal alternatives include "served as an intern" or "held an internship", which emphasize the responsibilities and position.

Is it correct to say "I am an intern" if the internship is in the past?

No, it is incorrect. Use "I was an intern" to indicate that the internship is a past experience. Use "I am an intern" only for current internships.

What's the difference between "was an intern" and "is an intern"?

"Was an intern" indicates a completed internship, while "is an intern" describes a current internship. For example, "She was an intern at the museum last year, but now she is a full-time employee."