was being collected

USAGE SUMMARY

"was being collected" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is the passive form of the verb "collected" and indicates that something was being gathered or picked up at a specific time in the past. Example: All the trash was being collected by the garbage truck at 9 am yesterday morning.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But he said only technical data about networks was being collected, not the actual content sent out.

The New York Times - Tech

It started encouragingly with Schwartzman's girlfriend leaving him as her stuff was being collected by a macho bunch of Israeli removal men.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Light from the two stars was being collected by the same green mirror that delivered to Hubble the news of an expanding universe.

The New York Times - Science

The data from Mr. Ellsworth's computer was being collected by a bit of software known variously as a phone home program, an update agent, or, more menacingly, spyware.

The New York Times - Tech

They seemed wholly unconcerned that Australian citizens were rightly worried about what their data was being collected for and why the scope of data had changed.

The Guardian - Opinion

Once he realized that money was being collected, she said, it seemed to him that it was too late to back out of his commitment.

The New York Times

Everyone was taking notes and shooting film, every word felt like it was being collected, collated and turned into notes for the marketing machine behind the scenes.

The Guardian - Opinion

They also said that not enough long-term data was being collected on donors and recipients to be sure how they were faring over time.

The New York Times

Others were puzzled that some of the data was being collected at all; voters' political affiliations, for example, have no obvious value in a fraud study.

The New Yorker

But the firm was able to obtain personal information about their friends, who likely had no knowledge that their data was being collected.

The Washington Post

Berlusconi last week told the commission president, José Manuel Barroso, that the information was being collected to ensure Gypsy children went to school.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Maintain clarity by specifying who or what was performing the collection, if relevant and known. Example: "The samples were being collected by the research team" adds more context.

Common error

While "was being collected" is grammatically correct, overuse of the passive voice can make your writing vague. Whenever possible, specify the actor performing the collection. Instead of "Mistakes were being collected", clarify with "The editor was collecting mistakes."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was being collected" functions as a verb phrase in the passive progressive tense, indicating an action of gathering or accumulating something that was in progress at a specific time in the past. As per Ludwig, this is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

58%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was being collected" is a grammatically correct and frequently used passive verb phrase that describes an ongoing process of gathering or accumulating something in the past. According to Ludwig AI, this usage is widely accepted and appears across diverse contexts, including news, science, and formal writing. When using this phrase, clarity is key: ensure the subject and the actor (if relevant) are clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. While grammatically sound, consider using the active voice for more direct and engaging writing. The frequency of the phrase is "Very common", indicating its wide acceptance in academic and general contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was in the process of collection

This alternative explicitly states the process aspect, adding emphasis to the action.

was undergoing collection

This alternative uses a more formal verb ("undergoing") to describe the collection process.

was actively collected

This alternative emphasizes that the collection was performed actively and purposefully.

was gathered

This alternative is a more concise way to express the idea of something being collected.

was accumulated

This alternative suggests a gradual process of collection, often over time.

was harvested

This alternative is best used when the collection involves gathering crops or resources.

was being amassed

This alternative indicates that the collection was done on a large scale.

was taken in

This alternative is more suitable when something is being received or admitted.

was obtained

This alternative suggests a more formal or deliberate process of acquisition.

was being retrieved

This alternative emphasizes the recovery of something that was previously stored or lost.

FAQs

How can I use "was being collected" in a sentence?

You can use "was being collected" to describe a past action of gathering or accumulating something. For example, "The donations "were being collected" for the charity event".

What are some alternatives to "was being collected"?

Some alternatives include "was gathered", "was accumulated", or "was in the process of collection", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use the active or passive voice with "was being collected"?

While using the passive voice is grammatically correct, specifying the actor with the active voice often provides clearer context. For example, instead of "The information was being collected", consider "The researchers "were collecting the information"".

What does "was being collected" imply about the action's completion?

"Was being collected" indicates an ongoing action in the past. It implies that the collection process was underway but not necessarily completed at the time of reference. Consider "had been collected" if the action was completed.