were excited

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were excited" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express enthusiasm or anticipation about something that has already happened or is currently happening. Example: "After hearing the news about the upcoming concert, we were excited to buy our tickets right away."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Our fans were excited".

The New York Times

They were excited.

The New Yorker

The children were excited.

The New Yorker

But people were excited".

The New York Times

Still, they were excited.

The New Yorker

We were excited.

The New Yorker

The players were excited.

The New York Times - Sports

"They were excited, too.

The New York Times - Sports

But they were excited, too.

The New York Times

They were excited about it.

The New York Times - Sports

Some were excited, others nervous.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were excited" to express genuine feelings of anticipation or enthusiasm about a past or ongoing event. Ensure the subject aligns with the context, indicating who is experiencing the excitement.

Common error

Avoid using "were excited" when referring to a future event. Instead, use "will be excited" or "are excited" depending on the context and time frame.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were excited" functions primarily as a descriptive adjective phrase combined with the past tense of the verb "to be". As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's used to express a state of feeling or emotion experienced by a subject in the past. The numerous examples provided show how it modifies nouns by attributing excitement to them.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

84%

Science

12%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were excited" serves as a common and grammatically sound way to articulate feelings of enthusiasm or anticipation about something in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, this phrase effectively conveys past emotional states, though careful attention to tense is needed to avoid common errors. For alternatives, consider "felt thrilled", "expressed enthusiasm", or "anticipated eagerly" to add nuance. Overall, "were excited" is a reliable phrase for expressing past excitement across various communication settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were enthusiastic

Similar to excited but can imply a more sustained interest.

felt thrilled

Emphasizes a stronger feeling of joy and excitement.

anticipated eagerly

Focuses on the anticipation aspect of being excited.

were delighted

Emphasizes the pleasure and joy experienced.

expressed enthusiasm

Highlights the outward display of excitement.

showed anticipation

Focuses on the visible signs of looking forward to something.

looked forward to

Indicates a positive expectation of a future event.

felt anticipatory

Describes a state of looking forward to something with excitement.

were keyed up

Suggests a state of heightened anticipation and readiness.

rejoiced at

Implies a more overt and celebratory expression of excitement.

FAQs

How can I use "were excited" in a sentence?

You can use "were excited" to describe a feeling of anticipation or enthusiasm in the past. For example, "We "were excited" about the upcoming vacation."

What is a synonym for "were excited"?

Alternatives to "were excited" include "were thrilled", "were eager", or "were enthusiastic", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "we was excited" instead of "we were excited"?

No, "we was excited" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "we "were excited"", as "were" is the past tense plural form of the verb "to be".

What's the difference between "excited to" and "excited about"?

"Excited to" is typically followed by a verb and indicates anticipation for an action, while "excited about" is followed by a noun and expresses enthusiasm for a thing or event. For example, "I'm excited to go" versus "I'm excited about the trip".