was followed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was followed" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is the past tense passive form of the verb "follow," indicating that something or someone followed or came after something else. Example: "The instructions were followed precisely, resulting in a successful outcome."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

I was followed.

The New Yorker

That was followed by "N.Y.

The New York Times - Arts

He was followed by Kompany.

The New York Times - Sports

He was followed.

The Guardian

"That procedure was followed".

The New York Times

He was followed by Gertrude.

The New York Times

Headingley was followed by Edgbaston.

The Guardian - Sport

A silver was followed by three golds.

Independent

Disenchantment was followed by renewed admiration.

The Economist

He said he was followed recently.

The New York Times

Economic chaos was followed by political chaos.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was followed" in passive voice constructions to emphasize the sequence of events or actions, rather than who or what performed the action.

Common error

Avoid using "was followed" when you intend to express an active sequence. Ensure the subject receiving the action is clear; otherwise, rephrase in the active voice for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was followed" functions primarily as a passive verb construction, indicating that the subject of the sentence received the action of being followed. This structure is commonly used to emphasize the sequence of events or the result of an action, rather than the actor itself. Ludwig AI provides examples of its use in diverse contexts, from news reports to scientific publications.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

24%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "was followed" is a versatile passive verb construction used to indicate sequential actions or events. According to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and frequently found across diverse contexts, particularly in News & Media and Science. The phrase serves to emphasize the order of events rather than the actors. While suitable for most writing contexts, ensure clarity in passive voice constructions to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "was succeeded by" or "was accompanied by" may offer nuance depending on the specific meaning you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was succeeded by

This alternative indicates a direct chronological sequence, where one thing comes immediately after another.

was accompanied by

This phrase implies that something happened together with something else, indicating a simultaneous occurrence.

was preceded by

This alternative indicates a reverse chronological order, where something came before the event in question.

was resultant from

This alternative highlights a cause-and-effect relationship, where the event was a direct result of something else.

was conducted according to

This option emphasizes adherence to a specific set of rules or guidelines in performing an action.

was implemented as per

Similar to the previous phrase, this highlights that something was carried out in accordance with a pre-defined plan or protocol.

was subsequent to

Indicates that something occurred after another event, with an emphasis on the temporal sequence.

was pursuant to

This alternative signifies that an action was taken in compliance with a legal or formal requirement.

was consequent to

Similar to "was resultant from", this option highlights that the event was a logical or natural consequence of something else.

was in agreement with

This phrase indicates that something was aligned with or conforming to a certain standard or expectation.

FAQs

How can I use "was followed" in a sentence?

The phrase "was followed" indicates that something or someone came after something else in a sequence. For example, "The presentation "was followed by" a Q&A session."

What are some alternatives to "was followed"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "was succeeded by", "was accompanied by", or "was preceded by" to convey similar meanings.

Is there a difference between "was followed by" and "followed by"?

"Was followed by" is in the passive voice, indicating that the subject received the action of following. "Followed by" can be active or part of a different construction. For instance, "The storm was followed by a flood" (passive) versus "Heavy rain, followed by strong winds, caused damage" (participle phrase).

When is it better to use the active voice instead of "was followed"?

If you want to emphasize who or what performed the action, using the active voice is preferable. For example, instead of "The suspect was followed by the detective", you could say "The detective followed the suspect".