were being treated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were being treated" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an ongoing action in the past, particularly in passive voice, where the subject is receiving treatment. Example: "The patients were being treated for their injuries at the hospital when the storm hit."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

They said they were being treated well.

The New York Times

They said priority cases were being treated.

The Guardian

All three were being treated at Jacobi Medical Center.

The New York Times

"You saw how people were being treated," he says.

The New York Times - Magazine

"I felt like we were being treated like animals".

The Guardian

In 2003, only 400,000 people were being treated.

The New York Times - Health

The three were being treated, Bloomberg News reported.

The New York Times

None of them were being treated as victims.

The New Yorker

I felt we were being treated as rock stars".

The New York Times

Fourteen people were being treated in intensive care, 26 were on general wards, and 19 were being treated in the community.

The Guardian

Some volunteers began to feel we were being treated like pawns.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were being treated" to describe an ongoing action in the past, particularly in passive voice, where the subject is receiving treatment. For example: "The injured soldiers were being treated at the field hospital."

Common error

Avoid using "were being treated" when referring to a completed action. In such cases, "received treatment" or "were treated" is more appropriate. For example, instead of "They were being treated and then discharged," use "They were treated and then discharged."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were being treated" functions as a passive progressive verb phrase, indicating an ongoing action in the past. Ludwig AI examples show its use in describing situations where individuals or entities were actively receiving care or attention at a specific time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

41%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were being treated" is a grammatically correct and commonly used passive progressive verb phrase. It signifies an action in progress in the past, typically related to receiving care or attention, often in a medical context. As Ludwig AI indicates, it finds frequent application in news reporting and scientific writing. While versatile, it's crucial to differentiate its meaning from the completed action implied by "were treated". It's important to pick an alternative based on the tense and context to communicate the proper meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

received treatment

Focuses on the completed action of receiving treatment, rather than the ongoing process.

underwent treatment

Emphasizes the process or experience of going through treatment.

were under medical care

Highlights the broader aspect of being under the care of medical professionals.

were receiving care

Similar meaning, but focuses on the act of receiving care in a general sense.

were given treatment

Highlights the act of someone giving the treatment.

were medically managed

Focuses on the medical management aspect of the care.

were attended to

Suggests a more general form of attention or care, not necessarily medical.

were looked after

Implies a more general sense of care and well-being.

were nursed

Specifically refers to the care provided by nurses.

were healed

Focuses on the result of the treatment, implying recovery.

FAQs

How is "were being treated" used in a sentence?

"Were being treated" indicates an ongoing process of receiving treatment in the past. For example, "The patients "were being treated" for their injuries when the fire broke out."

What's a good alternative to "were being treated"?

Depending on the context, alternatives like "received treatment", "underwent treatment", or "were receiving care" can be used.

Is "were being treated" formal or informal?

"Were being treated" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal settings might prefer alternatives like "received medical attention".

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

"Were treated" implies a completed action, while "were being treated" suggests an ongoing process in the past. For instance, "The patients were treated" means the treatment is finished, whereas "The patients "were being treated"" indicates the treatment was in progress at a specific time.