were late

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were late" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone or something did not arrive or happen at the expected or scheduled time. Example: "We were late to the meeting because of heavy traffic."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

"Well, you were late.

The New Yorker

We were late, though.

Independent

Fabrics were late.

The New York Times

Both models were late and over budget.

The New York Times

We were late to school this morning.

The New York Times

We were late for her appointment.

The New Yorker

As expected, we were late for lunch.

The New Yorker

They were late – days late.

The Guardian - Opinion

In all, 102 trains were late.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

Sometimes there were late-night confrontations.

The Guardian

All VAP episodes were late-onset.

Critical Care

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were late", consider specifying the reason for the lateness to provide context and clarity. For instance, "We were late due to unforeseen traffic delays."

Common error

Avoid using "were late" when the event is still in the future. Instead, use "will be late". For example, instead of saying "They were late for tomorrow's meeting", say "They will be late for tomorrow's meeting".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were late" functions as a predicate adjective describing the state of being tardy or behind schedule. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Social Media

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were late" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to describe past instances of tardiness. As Ludwig AI verifies, it appears frequently across various sources, predominantly in news and media, but also in scientific and formal contexts. When using "were late", consider providing context to clarify the reason for the delay. While generally versatile, ensure the tense aligns with the intended meaning and that subject-verb agreement is maintained. Alternative phrases like "arrived tardily" or "failed to be on time" can be used for more formal tones, while ""were delayed"" emphasizes the reason for the lateness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were delayed

Indicates that something caused them to be late, shifting focus to the reason for lateness.

failed to be on time

Expresses lateness as a failure to meet a punctual expectation.

arrived tardily

Replaces "were late" with a more formal adverb emphasizing tardiness.

were behind time

Emphasizes the state of being delayed or lagging.

showed up behind schedule

Replaces "were late" with a more descriptive phrase highlighting the deviation from the expected time.

were not punctual

Uses a formal tone to indicate a lack of punctuality.

missed the deadline

Focuses on failing to meet a specific time limit rather than general lateness.

were unpunctual

A less common synonym for not being on time.

ran behind

Implies a gradual falling behind schedule rather than a single instance of lateness.

came after the appointed hour

A more formal and somewhat archaic way of saying "were late".

FAQs

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

You can use "were late" to describe past instances of tardiness, such as "We were late for the movie because of the traffic" or "The trains "were delayed", so everyone was late to work".

What is a more formal alternative to "were late"?

More formal alternatives include "arrived tardily", "failed to be on time", or "were unpunctual".

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

"Was late" is used for singular subjects, while "were late" is used for plural subjects. For example, "He was late" but "They were late".

What's the difference between "were late" and "are late"?

"Were late" refers to a past occurrence, while "are late" refers to a present or ongoing situation. For example, "They were late yesterday" versus "They are late right now".