were already done

USAGE SUMMARY

"were already done" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to indicate a completed action that happened before a certain point in time. For example, "The preparations for the meeting were already done when she arrived."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

"All the proper protocols … were already done," he said, adding that it was a different group that had pepper spray.

The Guardian

"I never wanted to do plays that were already done — except for this play," Mr. Moss said.

The New York Times

The reason: most business transactions were already done at a distance, whether by fax, telephone, post, or private electronic links.

The Economist

Ten o'clock instead of eight, because I wanted to sleep, and they were already done shooting the scene and this little kid has, like, a totally modern hairdo and no one else caught it," she says, exasperated.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"The engineering firm contracted by the Shelter Island Heights Property Owners association was there on Monday, and they did determine the potential cause of the problem and made some recommendations, several of which were already done," said Tom Nanos, senior public health inspector at the county Health Department's marine resources bureau.

The New York Times

"You're reducing the chance that somebody will redo experiments that were already done and put people in harm's way because the research wasn't shared," he says.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

In fact, they were already doing so.

Independent

He's already done that".

The New York Times - Sports

His work was already done.

The New York Times - Sports

The first is already done.

The New York Times

He added: "It's already done.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were already done" to clearly indicate that an action or task has been completed before a specific time or event. This helps to avoid confusion about the sequence of events.

Common error

Avoid using "was already done" when referring to multiple subjects or actions. "Was" is singular; use "were" for plural subjects.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were already done" functions as a passive construction indicating the completion of an action in the past. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct. Its use highlights that the action was finished before a specific point in time.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were already done" is a grammatically sound phrase used to indicate that actions or tasks have been completed before a specific point in time. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, and it is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While generally neutral in tone, it is crucial to use "were" with plural subjects, avoiding the common mistake of using the singular "was". To enhance your writing, consider alternative phrases like "had already been completed" or "were finalized previously" for variety and emphasis. With its neutral register, using "were already done" will surely enrich your sentences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had already been completed

Emphasizes the completion aspect using a passive perfect construction.

had been previously finished

Adds a sense of prior completion, replacing "done" with "finished".

were completed beforehand

Highlights the timing of the completion, suggesting it happened in advance.

had been executed already

Replaces "done" with the more formal "executed", suggesting a planned action.

were finalized previously

Implies a more formal completion with an emphasis on the act of finalizing.

were earlier accomplished

Highlights the fact that the actions were achieved previously.

were already wrapped up

Uses the informal idiom "wrapped up" for a more casual tone.

were all taken care of

Shifts the focus to the idea that tasks were managed and completed.

had been attended to already

Uses a more formal and passive construction focusing on the act of attending to something.

were already taken care of

Focuses on the idea that something has been managed and doesn't require further attention.

FAQs

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

Use "were already done" to indicate that a task or action had been completed before a certain point. For example, "The preparations "had already been completed" before the guests arrived."

What's a more formal way to say "were already done"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "had been executed already" or "were finalized previously", depending on the context.

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

No, "was already done" is only correct when referring to a singular subject. Use "were already done" when referring to plural subjects. For instance, "The reports were already done", but "The report was already done".

What are some common synonyms for "were already done"?

Some common synonyms include ""had already been completed"", "were completed beforehand", and "were already wrapped up" depending on the desired level of formality.