we all were

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we all were" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a group of people, including the speaker, were in a particular state or condition in the past. Example: "At the reunion, we all were excited to see each other after so many years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

We all were there.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Well, we all were.

The New York Times - Books

We all were grinning.

The New York Times - Travel

"I think we all were.

Independent

Yet here we all were.

The New York Times

"We all were," Nancy said.

The New Yorker

And we all were friends.

The Guardian - Opinion

How wrong we all were.

The Guardian - Sport

"We all were very ambitious..

The Guardian - Music

"We all were," she says.

The Guardian

I mean, we all were.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we all were" to clearly indicate a shared experience or state among a group, including yourself. It's effective for creating a sense of solidarity or commonality.

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses inappropriately. Ensure that the tense used with "we all were" aligns with the context of the surrounding sentences to maintain clarity and coherence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we all were" functions as a collective past tense statement, indicating that a group of individuals, including the speaker, shared a common state, condition, or experience at some point in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "we all were" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to convey a shared past experience or condition. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase is correct and readily usable in writing. Analysis of various sources reveals its widespread use in News & Media, with some presence in Formal & Business contexts. While alternatives like "all of us were" or "we were all" exist, "we all were" is a direct and effective way to emphasize shared participation in an event or state. It is important to ensure consistency with other tenses and not commit typical mistakes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we were all

Changes word order, slightly affecting emphasis but keeping same core meaning.

all of us were

Replaces "we" with "all of us" for emphasis, slightly altering the tone but keeping same meaning.

together, we were

Adds emphasis on togetherness and unity in experiencing the state.

every one of us was

Emphasizes individual inclusion within the group, slightly altering the focus.

each of us was

Highlights the individual perspective within the group, shifting the focus.

as a group, we were

Highlights the collective nature of the experience.

the whole group was

Uses a noun phrase to define the group, altering the structure.

collectively, we were

Emphasizes the united action or state of the group.

we had all been

Uses the past perfect tense, suggesting a state completed before another time in the past.

we jointly were

Emphasizes the shared or collaborative nature of the state or action.

FAQs

How can I use "we all were" in a sentence?

"We all were" is used to indicate that everyone in a group, including the speaker, shared a particular state or experience in the past. For example, "We all were tired after the long journey".

What's a good alternative to "we all were"?

Alternatives include "all of us were", "we were all", or "every one of us was" depending on the specific context and emphasis you want to convey.

Is it ever incorrect to use "we all were"?

While grammatically correct, consider the context. If you're referring to a hypothetical situation, using "we all would be" might be more appropriate. Ensure the past tense aligns with the intended meaning.

What is the difference between "we all were" and "we were all"?

The difference is subtle and primarily stylistic. "We all were" places a slight emphasis on 'all', while "we were all" is generally more conversational and evenly distributes the emphasis.