were heading to

USAGE SUMMARY

"were heading to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use "were heading to" when you are talking about a location that you are beginning to travel to. Example sentence: We were heading to the grocery store when I saw a flower stand on the side of the road.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

State regulators, too, were heading to court.

The New York Times

In fact they were heading to a casting.

The Guardian

Both shipments were heading to Vietnam from Nigeria.

The Washington Post

They were heading to the boat-building yard at Montmar.

The Guardian - Travel

They were heading to Spokane to see their new grandchild.

The Guardian - Travel

Soon, the two were heading to the scene.

The New York Times

Investigators from Colorado were heading to Texas on Thursday night.

The New York Times

In her opinion, we were heading to the wild frontier".

The New York Times

"Eve had just given this incredible talk and we were heading to a reception," Shatz said.

Stanford University

Some were heading to job training, others to a United Nations environmental conference.

The New York Times

He said medical teams were heading to Guangzhou to address what he described as one incident.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider alternative phrases like "were on their way to" or "were moving toward" for subtle differences in emphasis or formality.

Common error

Avoid using "was heading to" when referring to a plural subject. The correct form is "were heading to" for plural subjects and "was heading to" for singular subjects.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were heading to" functions as a verb phrase indicating movement or direction toward a specific location or destination. Ludwig shows it's used to describe physical travel or progression toward a goal.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Wiki

7%

HuffPost

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Vice

2%

Los Angeles Times

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were heading to" is a very common and grammatically sound verb phrase used to indicate movement toward a specific location or destination. Ludwig confirms its widespread usage in News & Media. It maintains a neutral register, suitable for general communication. When writing, ensure subject-verb agreement, using "were" for plural subjects and "was" for singular ones. Consider alternatives like "were on their way to" or "were moving toward" for slight variations in emphasis. Ludwig AI suggests its usage is correct and easily understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were on their way to

Emphasizes the journey or process of going somewhere, highlighting the fact that they have already started.

were bound for

Implies a planned destination, suggesting a deliberate journey or predetermined route.

were en route to

A more formal way of saying they were on the way, often used in official reports or announcements.

were making their way to

Emphasizes the effort or challenge involved in reaching the destination, suggesting a difficult journey.

were moving toward

Suggests a direction or trend, indicating progress but not necessarily arrival.

were advancing towards

Highlights the action of moving forward, suggesting an active or intentional approach.

were proceeding toward

Implies a structured or orderly movement, often following a specific plan or route.

were progressing to

Focuses on the advancement or development towards a new stage or condition.

were directed to

Highlights external guidance or instructions, emphasizing the influence on the route.

were destined for

Suggests an inevitable or predetermined outcome, implying a lack of control over the destination.

FAQs

How can I use "were heading to" in a sentence?

The phrase "were heading to" indicates movement or direction toward a specific place or goal. For instance, "They "were heading to" the store to buy groceries."

What are some alternatives to "were heading to"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "were on their way to", "were moving toward", or "were bound for" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "was heading to" instead of "were heading to"?

The correctness depends on the subject. Use "was heading to" with singular subjects (e.g., "He was heading to the library"), and "were heading to" with plural subjects (e.g., "They "were heading to" the park").

What's the difference between "were heading to" and "were going to"?

"Were heading to" implies a specific direction or destination, while "were going to" is more general and can refer to any future action or event. For instance, "They "were heading to" the beach" specifies a location, while "They were going to swim" describes an intended activity.