were increased

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were increased" is correct and usable in written English.
It is usually used in the passive form to indicate that something increased or was increased by something else. For example: "Taxes were increased by 10%."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And there were increased volumes of work.

The Guardian

Meanwhile, freight charges were increased by 5 percent.

The New York Times

Last month, her hours were increased to 35 a week.

The New York Times

Sales were increased partly by favorable currency exchange rates.

The New York Times

Police patrols to the area were increased to prevent looting.

The Guardian

But there were increased heart problems in the Celebrex group.

The New York Times - Health

SW durations were increased during recovery in all three genotypes.

Nature

Fares were increased in 2017; service also was cut.

The Washington Post

Their protein expression levels were increased at 12 h.

Nature

Green fees were increased as much as 25percentt.

The New York Times

Globally, somatic SNVs were increased in FFPE (Supplementary Figure S6A).

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were increased", ensure that the subject experiencing the increase is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "were increased" when the active voice would be more direct and clear. For instance, instead of "Sales were increased by the marketing team", consider "The marketing team increased sales".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were increased" functions as a passive verb phrase, indicating that the subject has undergone an increase. Ludwig shows its widespread use in describing changes in quantity, intensity, or level.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

38%

Academia

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were increased" is a grammatically sound and versatile passive verb phrase, frequently employed across diverse contexts like science, news, and academia. Ludwig confirms its widespread use to describe a state of growth or amplification. Remember to ensure clarity by specifying the subject undergoing the increase and avoid overuse when the active voice offers a more direct alternative. Alternatives like "saw an increase" or "experienced growth" can provide nuanced variations. With its consistent usage and high source authority, "were increased" remains a reliable choice for expressing augmentation in various forms.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

saw an increase

Focuses on the observation of an increase rather than the action itself.

experienced growth

Implies a natural or organic increase over time.

underwent expansion

Suggests a more significant and comprehensive increase.

were amplified

Emphasizes the magnitude or intensity of the increase.

rose in number

Specifically refers to an increase in quantity.

were augmented

Suggests an addition or supplement that leads to an increase.

scaled up

Implies a proportional increase in size or scope.

were elevated

Indicates an increase in level or status.

spiked in value

Suggests a sudden and dramatic increase in worth.

were maximized

Implies that something was increased to its fullest potential.

FAQs

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

You can use "were increased" to indicate that something has grown in size, number, or intensity. For example, "Police patrols "were increased" to prevent looting".

What are some alternatives to using "were increased"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "saw an increase", "experienced growth", or "underwent expansion".

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "increase"?

It depends on the context. Use active voice (e.g., "The company increased profits") when you want to emphasize the actor. Use passive voice ("were increased") when you want to emphasize the result or when the actor is unknown or less important.

How does "were increased" differ from "increased"?

"Increased" can be used in both active and passive constructions, while "were increased" is exclusively passive. "The company increased its efforts" (active) versus "Efforts "were increased" by the company" (passive).