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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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were generated

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

'were generated' is correct and usable in written English.
It is used when talking about something that happened in the past. For example: "The statistics were generated from data collected over the last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Slaves were generated in many ways.

Ten imputations were generated.

Twenty realizations were generated.

Fifteen datasets were generated.

Descriptive statistics were generated.

17 formulations were generated.

Offshore, rough seas were generated.

Most opportunities, though, were generated by individuals.

News & Media

Los Angeles Times

Other mutants were generated similarly.

Science

Plosone

Three different founders were generated.

Science

Plosone

Graphs were generated using Xmgrace [98].

Science

Plosone
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were generated", ensure the subject performing the action is clearly implied or stated to avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of "The reports were generated", specify "The reports were generated by the system".

Common error

Avoid using "were generated" when the active voice is more appropriate and direct. For instance, instead of "Data were generated by the experiment", consider "The experiment generated data" if the experiment is the focus.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

79%

Authority and reliability

4.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were generated" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that the subject of the sentence received the action of being created or produced. Ludwig provides numerous examples showing its use in scientific, news, and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were generated" is a common and grammatically sound passive construction used to describe the creation or production of something in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and frequent use across various domains. While versatile, it appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts. To maximize clarity, specify the agent responsible for the action. When a more direct and active voice is preferred, consider alternatives such as "were created" or "were produced". Remember to use "were" for plural subjects and "was" for singular subjects.

FAQs

How to use "were generated" in a sentence?

Use "were generated" to describe something that was created or produced in the past, often as a result of a process or action. For example, "The reports "were generated" automatically by the system".

What can I say instead of "were generated"?

You can use alternatives like "were created", "were produced", or "were formed" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

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

"Were generated" is used for plural subjects (e.g., reports, results), while "was generated" is used for singular subjects (e.g., report, result). For example, "The reports "were generated"" but "The report "was generated"".

What's the difference between "were generated" and "had been generated"?

"Were generated" indicates a past action or state, while "had been generated" indicates an action completed before another point in the past. For instance, "The reports "were generated" yesterday", versus "The reports had been generated before the meeting began".

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Source & Trust

79%

Authority and reliability

4.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: