were being bombed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were being bombed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an ongoing action in the past where something or someone was subjected to bombing. Example: "During the war, many cities were being bombed relentlessly, causing widespread destruction."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

"The roads were being bombed quite constantly.

The New York Times

Ppl thought they were being bombed.

The Guardian

Magistrates were being bombed along with women and children.

The Guardian

The play of light often makes it look as if the people and buildings on screen were being bombed.

The New York Times

"We had a child who thought we were being bombed," said Steven C. Rosenberg, the principal of P.S. 139.

The New York Times

Then his suburban family had to move into the city because they were being bombed by the Japanese.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Truly, no setting wherein human beings are being bombed, shot, gassed, and chopped into pieces en masse should ever be considered too complicated for our intervention.

Huffington Post

"Misurata is being bombed every day.

The New York Times

They're being bombed or bombing someone".

The New York Times

"We're being bombed," she recalled thinking.

The New York Times

"People are being bombed and strafed.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were being bombed" to describe a past continuous action of being attacked by bombs, often during a war or conflict. Ensure the subject is plural or uncountable.

Common error

Avoid using "were being bombed" to describe a single, completed event. Instead, use "were bombed" for a completed action or "was being bombed" for a singular subject undergoing the action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were being bombed" functions as a verb phrase in the past continuous passive voice. It describes an ongoing action of being attacked with bombs in the past. Examples from Ludwig show its use in describing war scenarios and conflict zones.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were being bombed" is a verb phrase in the past continuous passive voice, used to describe an ongoing action of being attacked with bombs. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and frequently found in news and media contexts. It's important to use it with plural subjects and to differentiate it from "were bombed", which indicates a completed action. Related phrases include "were under aerial attack" and "were subjected to bombardment". In summary, this phrase effectively conveys a situation of sustained aerial assault.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were under aerial attack

Focuses on the attack coming from the air, similar to bombing.

were subjected to bombardment

Emphasizes the continuous and heavy nature of the attack.

were experiencing air raids

Highlights the experience of repeated attacks from the air.

were the target of aerial assaults

Focuses on being the target of attacks from above.

were hit by air strikes

Highlights specific instances of aerial attacks.

were enduring aerial attacks

Emphasizes the endurance and suffering caused by the attacks.

were facing aerial aggression

Highlights the aggressive nature of the attacks from the air.

were in the line of fire from above

Focuses on the danger and positioning related to aerial attacks.

were caught in air raids

Focuses on the unexpected and unavoidable nature of the attacks.

were suffering from air strikes

Emphasizes the negative consequences and suffering caused by aerial attacks.

FAQs

How can I use "were being bombed" in a sentence?

Use "were being bombed" to describe an ongoing situation in the past when a place or group of people experienced continuous or repeated bomb attacks. For example, "During the war, cities "were being bombed" relentlessly".

What is a synonym for "were being bombed"?

Similar phrases include "were under aerial attack", "were subjected to bombardment", or "were experiencing air raids".

Is it correct to say "was being bombed" instead of "were being bombed"?

The correct verb form depends on the subject. Use "was being bombed" with a singular subject (e.g., "The building was being bombed"). Use "were being bombed" with a plural subject (e.g., "The cities "were being bombed"").

What's the difference between "were bombed" and "were being bombed"?

"Were bombed" indicates a completed action in the past, while "were being bombed" indicates an ongoing action in the past. For example, "The city "was bombed" last week" (completed action) versus "The city "was being bombed" for several days" (ongoing action).