was told that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was told that" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used when one person imparts information to another person. Example: I was told that the meeting had been rescheduled.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was told that was impossible.

Independent

Newsnight was told that was new.

The Guardian

I was told that was a too – every deal I've done, I was told that it was too expensive.

TechCrunch

With ∼300 students, I was told that was simply going to be impossible.

CBE Life Sciences Education

"I was told that".

The New York Times

She was told that Mme.

The New Yorker

He was told that Armstrong "didn't know".

The New York Times - Sports

I was told that we had a patent problem.

Cornell University

Again she was told that she was going to die.

Stanford University

He was told that nobody knew.

The Guardian - Books

I was told that I could go.

The Guardian - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "was told that" in combination with reporting verbs such as explained, confirmed or mentioned to add nuance and clarity to the communicated information.

Common error

Avoid overuse of passive constructions like "was told that" as it can make your writing sound weak or evasive. Consider rephrasing to use active voice where appropriate for a more direct and engaging style.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was told that" functions as a reporting clause, introducing information received from an external source. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was told that" is a grammatically sound and versatile expression used to report information received from another party. As highlighted by Ludwig, it’s appropriate for both formal and informal settings and commonly appears in various contexts, especially in News & Media. While generally acceptable, writers should be mindful of overusing passive constructions and consider rephrasing for active voice when appropriate. This phrase can be replaced by "was informed that", "was advised that", or "learned that" to convey nuanced meaning or to express the information in a new context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was informed that

Emphasizes a more formal transmission of information.

was advised that

Suggests the information received was in the form of advice or a recommendation.

was notified that

Highlights the act of being officially or formally informed.

was apprised of the fact that

A more formal and elaborate way of saying "was told that".

received information that

Focuses on the reception of the information rather than the telling.

learned that

Implies gaining knowledge, not necessarily through direct telling.

heard that

Suggests a less formal, possibly indirect, source of information.

understood that

Emphasizes comprehension of information, which may or may not have been explicitly told.

gathered that

Indicates inferring information from various sources or observations.

it was reported that

Highlights that the information comes from a report or official source.

FAQs

How can I use "was told that" in a sentence?

You can use "was told that" to report information you received from someone. For example, "I was told that the meeting was postponed".

What are some alternatives to "was told that"?

Alternatives include phrases like "was informed that", "was advised that", or "learned that", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "was told that"?

While "was told that" is in the passive voice, it is grammatically correct. However, consider using the active voice when you want to emphasize the source of the information. For example, instead of "I was told that the project was delayed", you could say "The manager said the project was delayed".

What's the difference between "was told that" and "was informed that"?

While both phrases convey receiving information, "was informed that" often implies a more formal or official communication compared to "was told that".