was make sure

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was make sure" is not correct in written English.
It seems to be a mix-up of verb forms and should be corrected to "was made sure" or "made sure." Example: "He was made sure that everything was in order before the event started."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

WHAT WAS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING IN THE TEMPEST: The hardest part was make sure that we all stayed focused and we enjoyed the dance.

Huffington Post

"The second thing was make sure you catch the ball.

The New York Times - Sports

My whole thing was, make sure that none of this feels like a checkmark.

The New York Times

All I had to do was make sure he didn't get worse".

The New York Times - Sports

All I wanted to do was make sure I said thanks".

The New York Times - Sports

The first thing he did was make sure his family was safe.

The Washington Post

Driving Mr. Schein My first concern was: Make sure I drive this golf cart as safely as possible.

Princeton University

One thing I was going to make sure I do was make sure the players did go over.

Independent

All he had to do was make sure that Wright was not going to make an inside pickoff move.

The New York Times - Sports

"All she wanted to do was make sure that what happened to her would never happen to anyone else".

The New York Times

What the bloggers did was make sure that five hundred million people saw those pictures of her.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to express that an action was taken to guarantee a specific outcome, use the grammatically correct phrase "made sure" instead of "was make sure". For example, "He made sure that all the doors were locked before leaving."

Common error

A common mistake is to use "was make sure" due to confusion between passive and active voice constructions. Always remember that "make sure" requires an active verb form like "made" to show the action of ensuring something.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was make sure" functions as an attempt to express the action of ensuring something in the past. However, it is grammatically flawed. Ludwig AI indicates that the correct form is "made sure" or another suitable alternative.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Academia

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was make sure" is a grammatically incorrect expression. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that the accurate phrasing is "made sure". While frequent in various contexts, including News & Media, Academia, and Science, its incorrectness diminishes its suitability for formal use. To maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity, it's best to substitute it with "made sure", "ensured", or other similar alternatives. Using the proper phrasing ensures effective communication and maintains credibility in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

made sure

Changes the verb tense to the past tense to indicate an action that was completed in the past, ensuring something.

ensured

Replaces the phrase with a single verb indicating the act of guaranteeing something, improving conciseness and grammatical correctness.

took care to ensure

Adds emphasis on the effort taken to guarantee the result, providing a more detailed account of the process.

saw to it that

This idiomatic expression indicates a personal involvement in guaranteeing that something happens.

verified

Focuses on confirming the accuracy or truth of something, altering the focus slightly from simple assurance.

ascertained

Highlights the effort made to discover something definitively, introducing a nuance of investigation.

confirmed

Emphasizes that something was validated or established as true, adding a sense of official validation.

guaranteed

Implies a strong assurance, often with an explicit warranty or promise attached.

checked to confirm

Highlights the act of verifying as a process, implying a more active role in ensuring a specific outcome.

made certain

Similar to "made sure", but places a slightly greater emphasis on the level of confidence in the outcome.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "was make sure"?

The correct way to phrase this is to use the past tense "made sure" which indicates that an action was taken to ensure something.

Can I use "was make sure" in formal writing?

No, "was make sure" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. Use "made sure" or a similar correct alternative.

What's the difference between "was make sure" and "made sure"?

"Was make sure" is an incorrect phrasing. The correct phrase is "made sure", which means to take action to guarantee a specific outcome.

What are some alternatives to "was make sure" that I can use?

Alternatives include "ensured", "took care to ensure", or "saw to it that" depending on the specific context.