were already closed

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "were already closed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that has already happened in the past. For example, "The shops were already closed by the time we arrived."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

I was grateful that his eyes were already closed.

The Guardian - Books

At that point he said most of their Cypriot accounts were already closed.

The Washington Post

Schools were already closed for the Greek Orthodox Easter break; they did not close because of the strike.

The New York Times

I left work around lunchtime, and a lot of the food places were already closed or soon to close.

The Guardian

In Grand Forks, which was devastated by flooding in 1997, two of the three bridges leading in and out of town were already closed.

The New York Times

"The police came the night the organization was banned, but the schools and campus were already closed because of vacations," he said.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

It was only 8 30 P.M., but many of the stores in the street were already closing.

The New Yorker

Unaware the police were already closing in on the priest, David Ridsdale rang Pell in February 1993.

The Guardian

Other countries were already closing the achievement gap, he added.

BBC

Some practices were already closing due to lack of staff, she said.

BBC

One is already closed.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were already closed", ensure that the context clearly establishes the time frame to which "already" refers. This helps avoid ambiguity and clarifies when the closure occurred in relation to other events.

Common error

Avoid using "was already closed" when referring to plural subjects. Ensure the verb form agrees with the subject. For example, say "The stores were already closed" not "The stores was already closed".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were already closed" functions as a predicate in a sentence, indicating a state of being. It describes that something was in a closed condition before a particular time or event. Ludwig AI confirms that this usage is correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

19%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Science

13%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were already closed" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to indicate that something had shut down or was not accessible before a certain point. According to Ludwig AI, this is correct usage. Predominantly found in News & Media, the phrase serves to inform the audience about a past state, emphasizing that a closure happened prior to a specific moment. It's important to maintain tense agreement and ensure clarity in the context to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "had been shut" or "were no longer open" can be used to convey similar meanings, offering flexibility in expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were no longer open

Directly states that the entities were not in an open state.

were already inaccessible

Combines the aspect of being closed with the implication of not being reachable.

had been shut

Focuses on the state of being shut, emphasizing the completed action.

were not available

Emphasizes the lack of availability due to the closure.

were previously shut

Uses "previously" to explicitly indicate that the closure occurred before a certain point.

had ceased operations

Refers to businesses or entities that stopped operating before a certain time.

were not accessible

Indicates an inability to access something due to its closure.

were out of service

Implies that the entities were temporarily or permanently not functioning.

had been terminated

Suggests a formal or final closure, particularly for contracts or agreements.

had been deactivated

Commonly used for services or accounts that have been closed.

FAQs

How can I use "were already closed" in a sentence?

You can use "were already closed" to indicate that something had shut down before a specific event or time. For example, "The restaurants "were already closed" when we arrived", indicates the closure happened before your arrival.

What's a formal alternative to "were already closed"?

In a more formal setting, you could say "had previously ceased operations" or "were no longer open" to convey a similar meaning with increased formality.

Is it correct to say "was already closed" instead of "were already closed"?

No, "was already closed" is for singular subjects while ""were already closed"" is for plural subjects. For example, "The store was already closed", but "The stores were already closed".

What does "already" emphasize in the phrase "were already closed"?

The word "already" emphasizes that the closure happened sooner than expected or before a specific reference point in time. It adds a sense of anticipation or prior occurrence to the action of closing.