were expected

USAGE SUMMARY

"were expected" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is the past tense of the verb "to expect," which means to anticipate or believe that something will happen or be true. You can use "were expected" to describe a situation in the past where something was predicted or anticipated to occur. For example: - The results of the experiment were expected to be published next week. - The players were expected to arrive at the stadium an hour before the game. - Jane's promotion was expected, as she had been working hard for it for years. - The storm was expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the region.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Votes were expected Friday.

The New York Times

Some problems were expected.

The New York Times

Touchdowns were expected, defense not.

The New York Times - Sports

All were expected to recover.

The New York Times

Such margin calls were expected.

The New York Times

Court challenges were expected immediately.

The New York Times

They were expected to recover.

The New York Times

Both decisions were expected.

The New York Times

Dropouts were expected.

The New York Times

Demonstrations were expected.

The Guardian - Music

They were expected.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were expected" to indicate that something was anticipated or predicted to happen in the past. Ensure the subject agrees in number; use "was expected" for singular subjects.

Common error

Avoid using "was expected" with plural subjects. For example, it is incorrect to say "The results was expected"; the correct form is "The results were expected".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were expected" functions as a passive construction in the past tense. It indicates that an action or event was anticipated or predicted to occur. Ludwig AI indicates this is correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Less common in

Science

2%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were expected" is a common and grammatically sound way to indicate that something was anticipated or predicted in the past. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's widely used in various contexts, especially in News & Media. When using this phrase, ensure proper subject-verb agreement to avoid errors. Consider alternatives like "were anticipated" or "were predicted" for nuanced meanings. The provided examples from Ludwig highlight the phrase's versatility and reliability in conveying expectations and predictions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were anticipated

Replaces "expected" with a synonym indicating a similar level of anticipation.

were predicted

Substitutes "expected" with "predicted", focusing on the forecasting aspect.

were foreseen

Emphasizes the act of seeing or knowing beforehand, altering the nuance slightly.

were anticipated to occur

Adds "to occur" for greater clarity and formality.

were believed to be

Shifts the focus to belief or assumption, rather than expectation.

had been foreseen

Uses the past perfect tense to highlight that the expectation occurred earlier.

were likely to be

Expresses a probability or chance of something happening.

were projected to be

Focuses on projections or estimates.

were slated to be

Suggests a scheduled or planned occurrence.

were assumed

Highlights the assumption or presumption of an event.

FAQs

How do you use "were expected" in a sentence?

The phrase "were expected" is used to indicate that something was anticipated or predicted to happen. For example, "The final results "were expected" today".

What are some alternatives to saying "were expected"?

You can use alternatives like "were anticipated", "were predicted", or "were foreseen" to convey a similar meaning.

Which is correct, "was expected" or "were expected"?

"Was expected" is used for singular subjects, while "were expected" is used for plural subjects. For example, "The delay was expected", but "The delays "were expected"".

What does "were expected to" mean?

"Were expected to" indicates an obligation or anticipation of a future action. For example, "The students "were expected" to complete the assignment by Friday".