were not granted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were not granted" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was not given or allowed, often in a formal or legal context. Example: "The requests for additional funding were not granted due to budget constraints."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were not granted an audience with Putin.

The Washington Post

Radcliffe graduates, however, were not granted Harvard degrees until 1963.

Britannica

Eight other states sought but were not granted a reprieve.

The New York Times - Health

Other territories, although they were not granted independence, received new statuses.

The Guardian

Civil rights, including the right to vote, were not granted to indigenous Liberians until 1963.

The New York Times

Technically they were not granted political asylum, just allowed to leave.

The New York Times

Since the journalists had not submitted a financial claim they were not granted compensation.

The Guardian

Slave marriages were not granted out of the goodness of "ole massa's" heart.

The New York Times

The pair were held separately following their arrests and were not granted bail.

Independent

The sample was restricted to 29 renally excreted new molecular entities that were not granted orphan drug status.

Harvard University

They were not officially recognized as medical students, however, and were not granted MD degrees during their lifetimes.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were not granted" in formal writing to convey a sense of authority or official denial. It is suitable for legal documents, academic papers, and professional reports.

Common error

Avoid using "were not granted" when the active voice is more appropriate. For example, instead of "They were not granted access by the security guard", write "The security guard did not grant them access."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not granted" functions as a passive voice construction indicating the denial of something. Ludwig highlights its common use in conveying that a request, permission, or right was not given.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Academia

18%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were not granted" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something was denied or not permitted. Ludwig's analysis demonstrates its widespread use across various contexts, including News & Media, Academia, and Formal & Business settings. The phrase maintains a neutral to formal tone and is best used in situations where a formal denial or lack of permission is being conveyed. Ludwig AI's assessment confirms the phrase's validity and usability in written English, emphasizing its suitability for formal communication. Remember to ensure clarity in sentence construction to avoid ambiguity and to consider the context when choosing between "were not granted" and similar alternatives like "were denied" or "were refused".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were denied

Direct synonym indicating refusal or withholding of something.

were refused

Similar to "were denied", but emphasizes the act of rejecting a request.

were not allowed

Indicates a lack of permission or authorization.

were not permitted

Similar to "were not allowed", indicating a formal lack of authorization.

were not given

Emphasizes the act of not providing something.

did not receive

Focuses on the absence of receipt, rather than the act of granting.

were withheld

Highlights the act of holding something back.

were turned down

Focuses on the rejection of a proposal or request.

failed to secure

Highlights the lack of success in obtaining something, often through effort.

were unsuccessful in obtaining

More formal and emphasizes the effort to acquire something that failed.

FAQs

How can I use "were not granted" in a sentence?

You can use "were not granted" to indicate that someone or something did not receive something they requested or expected. For example, "The protesters "were not granted" a permit for their march".

What's the difference between "were not granted" and "were denied"?

"Were not granted" often implies a formal process or expectation of receiving something, while "were denied" /s/were+denied is a more direct and general term for refusal. The nuance depends on the context.

Which is correct, "were not granted access" or "didn't get access"?

"Were not granted access" is more formal and suitable for professional or academic contexts. "Didn't get access" is more informal and appropriate for casual conversation.

What can I say instead of "were not granted"?

You can use alternatives like "were refused", "were denied", or "were not allowed" depending on the context.