were concern

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were concern" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "were concerned"? If this is the case, you can use it when expressing that someone had feelings of worry or anxiety about a particular situation in the past. Example: "They were concerned about the impact of the new policy on their jobs."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Reasons for nonacceptance (n = 39 women, 12.9%) were concern about privacy during examination (53.8%) or counseling (25.6%) and the extent of the students' involvement (20.5%).

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

On the other hand, the F2F students described personal barriers for learning online, such as low self-discipline, and were concern about not being able to learn effectively in an online environment.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

After all, the only feelings that Hannah can access are Hannah's and at that moment Hannah's feelings were concern about the future of her book.

Huffington Post

Respondents were concern with the repeated delay or even loss of histology/cytology results.

BMC Family Practice

The central theme in the mothers' accounts were "concern and responsibility" for the child.

BMC Family Practice

Among 24 screening group subjects refusing cataract surgery, the most common reasons were concern about costs (60.4%), and unwillingness to undergo surgery due to age (22.9%)[ 8].

BMC Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

"They were concerned.

The New York Times - Arts

Still, some were concerned.

The New York Times

Elsewhere there were concerns.

BBC

"We were concerned.

Forbes

I think people were concerned.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always ensure subject-verb agreement. With plural subjects like "they" or "we", use "were concerned" instead of the grammatically incorrect "were concern".

Common error

Avoid using "concern" directly after "were". The correct construction is "were concerned" (adjective) or "had concern/concerns" (noun). For example, it's better to write "They were concerned about the delay" or "They had concerns about the delay" instead of "They were concern about the delay".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were concern" functions incorrectly as a verb phrase followed by a noun where an adjective or noun phrase is expected. As Ludwig AI explains, the correct form is "were concerned" or "had concerns".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

57%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were concern" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct way to express this is "were concerned", using "concerned" as an adjective, or "had concerns", using "concerns" as a noun. While "were concern" appears in some contexts, primarily in science and news media, it's best to avoid this phrasing in formal writing. Always prioritize correct grammar for clear and effective communication. Remember to use "were concerned" to accurately convey that someone felt worry or interest.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were concerned

This corrects the grammatical error by using the past participle of the verb "to concern".

had concerns

This expresses worry or interest using the noun form "concerns".

felt concern

This uses "felt" to describe the experience of having concern.

expressed concern

This indicates that the concern was voiced or communicated.

showed concern

This suggests that concern was demonstrated through actions or words.

were anxious

This uses a synonym to express a state of worry.

were worried

This is a common synonym for "were concerned".

displayed apprehension

This uses a more formal synonym to convey worry or fear.

voiced apprehension

This suggests that the concern was verbally expressed.

manifested anxiety

This is a more formal way of saying that anxiety was shown.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "concern" after "were"?

The correct phrasing is "were concerned", using "concerned" as an adjective to describe a state of worry or interest. Alternatively, you can use "had concerns", employing "concerns" as a noun.

What does it mean to be "concerned"?

To be "concerned" means to feel worried, troubled, or anxious about something. It can also mean to be interested or affected by something. Consider alternatives like "worried", "anxious", or "interested" depending on the intended meaning.

Can I use "were concern" in any context?

No, "were concern" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "were concerned". While some instances of "were concern" may appear in text, they are generally considered errors.

What can I say instead of "were concern"?

Use "were concerned" to express worry, or use phrases like "had concerns" or "expressed concern" to convey that someone had or voiced their worries. Another option is "were worried".