were already passed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were already passed" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would typically be "had already passed" or "were already passing," depending on the intended meaning. Example: "By the time we arrived, the deadlines had already passed."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The Five GOP Patriarchs (they're all white and male of course), won't even allow Californians to vote on a measure extending the emergency taxes that were already passed.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In 1991, the idea was that the excesses of the 1980s, "the designer decade", were already passing into history.

The Guardian - Opinion

Look at it as a happening, a moment; let nothing of it go unrecorded, map it as if it were already passing.

The Guardian - Books

Trade body Energy UK said suppliers were already passing on price cuts to customers.

BBC

I'd just made it and people were already passing out over the wall of the VIP section.

Vice

On Friday morning, outer bands of the hurricane were already passing over the facility, causing high tides and winds of up to 30 mph, according to officials on the ground.

Vice

She's already passed around quaaludes, offering one to every person except me.

The New Yorker

It's already passed, and we'll have to deal with that".

The New York Times - Sports

The legislation was already passed by the House and has moved to President Obama for his signature.

The New York Times

The telecast of "Satyamev Jayate" on the issue of child sexual abuse took place on May 13 , 2012 whereas the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Bill of 2012 was already passed by the Rajya Sabha [upper house of Parliament] on May 10 , 2012

The New York Times

"You have to commemorate him, and because he's already passed away, you can only speak well of him, not ill," Professor Xiao, the historian, said of Mao's anniversary.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating that something was completed before a specific time, use "had already passed" or "had already been passed" for grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "were already passed" as it incorrectly combines the past tense of "be" with a past participle in a way that doesn't conform to standard English grammar. Instead, consider the correct tense and voice for your intended meaning, such as "had already passed" or "had already been passed".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were already passed" functions as part of a clause aiming to describe a state of completion or prior action. However, it requires adjustment for grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were already passed" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. Ludwig AI indicates that a better construction would typically involve using the past perfect tense, such as "had already passed" or "had already been passed". The analysis reveals that the intended meaning revolves around indicating that something was completed or approved before a specific time. While the sources using this phrase are reputable news and media outlets, the grammatical error impacts the overall quality and clarity. To ensure correctness, consider alternative phrasing based on the intended context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had already passed

Uses the past perfect tense to indicate completion before a certain time.

had already been passed

Emphasizes that an action was completed by someone else before a certain time.

were in the process of being passed

Indicates an ongoing action at a specific time.

were being passed already

Reorders the words to emphasize the ongoing nature of the action.

have already passed

Shifts to present perfect tense indicating completion at some point before now.

are already passing

Uses present continuous to describe something in progress now.

were previously approved

Focuses on prior approval rather than the act of passing.

were previously enacted

Specifically used in the context of laws or regulations.

had been previously approved

Combines past perfect and passive voice for emphasis.

were ratified earlier

Implies formal agreement or confirmation.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say something happened before?

Use the past perfect tense, like "had already happened", instead of the incorrect "were already happened".

How can I use the phrase "had already passed" in a sentence?

For example: "By the time we arrived, the deadline "had already passed"".

What's the difference between "were already passing" and "had already passed"?

"Were already passing" describes an ongoing action in the past, while "had already passed" indicates completion before a specific point in the past.

What are some alternatives to "were already passed"?

Depending on the context, consider alternatives like "were previously approved" or "had already been passed".