were all of them

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were all of them" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a group of people or things in the past, often in a context where you are questioning or confirming the presence or involvement of the entire group. Example: "I thought there were all of them at the meeting, but it turns out a few were absent."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

And were all of them paid?

The New York Times

"They were all of them quite silent, quite motionless".

The Guardian - Books

"I was smarter than they were, all of them," Runyan recalled.

The New York Times - Sports

Were all of them to submit to the judge's new regulator or face "exemplary" punishments?

The Guardian - Opinion

"They were all of them talented boys, in the sense that they had more than average abilities to think for themselves.

The New Yorker

To this work, [a Goldman Sachs study found] that "the three governments that have executed the most high-profile expenditure-based deficit reductions — Ireland in 1987, Sweden in 1994 and Canada in 1994 — were all of them re-elected".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

I am all of them.

The New York Times - Magazine

"The answer is: All of them.

The New York Times

It will be all of them.

The New York Times - Tech

It may yet be all of them.

The Economist

"What if I'm all of them?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were all of them", ensure the context clearly defines the group being referred to, avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "was all of them" when referring to a plural subject; always use "were" for plural agreement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were all of them" primarily functions as a connector within a sentence, typically to emphasize the totality of a group's shared characteristic or state in the past. This expression is used to confirm or highlight that every member of a specified group was included or possessed a particular attribute. As Ludwig's examples show, it is often part of a longer clause providing additional information or context.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

31%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were all of them" is a grammatically sound phrase used to emphasize the completeness of a shared attribute or state within a group. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and applicable in written English and appears with common frequency in news, scientific, and general contexts. When writing, ensure correct tense agreement and clear definition of the group to which the phrase refers. The related phrases offer semantically similar alternatives while maintaining grammatical correctness. While applicable across many contexts, the phrase appears most often in news articles, scientific publications, and encyclopedic entries.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

they all were

Reorders the words for emphasis.

all of them were

Changes the word order for slight variation in emphasis.

each of them was

Focuses on the individual members of the group.

every one of them was

Emphasizes the individual inclusion.

they all had been

Shifts to past perfect tense.

each one had been

Individual focus with past perfect tense.

they had all been

Rearranges words and uses past perfect.

every single one was

Adds emphasis to each individual.

none of them were not

Expresses the same idea using a double negative.

without exception, they were

Formal way of expressing complete inclusion.

FAQs

How can I use "were all of them" in a sentence?

Use "were all of them" to indicate that every member of a previously mentioned group shared a characteristic or state in the past. For example, "The candidates were diverse, and prepared.

Is there a difference between "were all of them" and "they all were"?

While both phrases convey a similar meaning, "they all were" emphasizes the subject, whereas "were all of them" can sometimes function to confirm a previous assumption. However, the difference is nuanced and /s/they+all+were is often interchangeable.

When should I use "each of them was" instead of "were all of them"?

"Each of them was" focuses on the individual, highlighting that each member of the group possessed a certain attribute, while "were all of them" emphasizes the group as a whole sharing the attribute. For /s/each+of+them+was puts stress on a separate element.

What's a more formal alternative to "were all of them"?

A more formal alternative is "without exception, they were", which emphasizes the completeness of the inclusion in a more professional or academic context.