were consented to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were consented to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are discussing agreements or permissions that have been granted by individuals or parties. Example: "The terms of the contract were consented to by all parties involved before the project commenced."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

What's getting distributed isn't necessarily images that were consented to in the first place.

The New Yorker

METHODS: Patients undergoing prosthetic breast reconstruction surgery where ADM was likely to be used were consented to have fluid samples collected from surgical drains after surgery.

Princeton University

Overall, 56 children were consented to take part in the study with 48 children completing three treatment visits and questionnaires before and after treatment.

Nature

As problematic was the adversity in Vietnam to postmortems - no autopsies were consented to by the families of the 38 bird flu victims.

The Guardian

All participants were consented to participate in this study.

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders

All five medical practices which responded to recruitment requests were consented to join the study.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

Those who remained were told that by doing so, they were consenting to participate in the study.

Health & Justice

Finally, he agreed, the delegates were consenting to a non-binding expression of intent.

Los Angeles Times

"No arrangement which would be consented to by Japan would be other than destructive and repugnant to China".

The New York Times

The question is, how much of this is consented to by users and how much is not?

TechCrunch

Those who are eligible will be consented to the trial by the outcome assessor.

BMC Oral Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about research or medical procedures, ensure that the phrase "were consented to" is followed by a clear indication of what the participants were consenting to (e.g., "were consented to participate in the study").

Common error

Ensure clarity by specifying who granted the consent. Saying simply "they were consented to" may leave the reader wondering who provided the consent. Rephrase for clarity, for example, "Participants were consented to by the ethics committee".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were consented to" functions as a passive construction, indicating that consent was given or obtained. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's commonly used to denote that individuals or entities have granted permission for a specific action, study, or procedure. The examples show it typically involves a formal process of gaining approval.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were consented to" is a grammatically correct passive construction primarily used to indicate that permission or approval has been formally obtained, particularly in academic, scientific, and news contexts. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is used to confirm the act of receiving agreement or permission from participants or parties involved in some activity. While "were consented to" is widely accepted, attention should be paid to ensure who is being consented and in respect to what to prevent ambiguity. Alternatives such as "received consent for" or "obtained permission for" can be used to add variety or change the emphasis. Key sources for this phrase include scientific journals, news outlets, and academic institutions, highlighting its formal and professional applications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

received consent for

Focuses on the action of receiving consent rather than the passive state.

obtained permission for

Replaces 'consent' with 'permission', emphasizing the act of getting approval.

had approval for

Uses 'approval' instead of 'consent', shifting the focus to the state of being approved.

were authorized to

Indicates that authority was granted, highlighting the authorization aspect.

agreed to participate in

Emphasizes the agreement and active participation rather than just consent.

gave their assent to

Replaces 'consent' with the more formal 'assent'.

were granted approval for

Combines 'granted' and 'approval' to emphasize the act of giving permission.

signed off on

Uses an idiomatic expression to indicate formal approval.

endorsed the terms of

Focuses on the endorsement of specific terms or conditions.

sanctioned the use of

Implies official authorization or approval for a specific use.

FAQs

How is "were consented to" used in academic writing?

In academic writing, "were consented to" typically indicates that participants in a study or research project gave their informed consent. For example, "All participants "were consented to participate in this study" after a thorough explanation of the procedures and risks involved".

What's a simpler alternative to "were consented to"?

A simpler alternative would be "received consent for". This phrase places the emphasis on the action of receiving consent, rather than the state of being consented to. For instance, "The patients "received consent for the surgery" before proceeding".

Is it more appropriate to say "were consented to" or "consented"?

The phrase "were consented to" is generally used when discussing procedures or studies where consent was formally obtained, emphasizing that formal permissions were secured before something happened. If you are referring to who is giving the consent, then "consented" is sufficient. For instance, if they "consented to the study" then they gave formal approval.

What does "informed consent" mean in relation to "were consented to"?

"Informed consent" implies that participants fully understood the nature of the study or procedure, including potential risks and benefits, before granting their consent. When reporting that subjects "were consented to", it's often implicitly understood that this consent was informed.