were not sent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were not sent" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something was not dispatched or delivered, often in a past context. Example: "The documents were not sent to the client as scheduled."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But the packages were not sent by lawyers.

The New York Times

ESFANDIAR RAHIM MASHAEI: Many of them were arrested but they were not sent to prison.

The New Yorker

"We were not shot; we were not sent into exile, but we were battered by shrapnel.

The New York Times

The majority were not sent to prison; more than 3,200 received a caution or fine.

The Guardian

Nasty vans were not sent to areas where Australians and white South Africans hang out.

Independent

Her school did not have a "no nit" policy and children were not sent home.

The New York Times - Health

The two Uighurs who were not sent back to China had somehow disappeared, Cambodian officials said at the time.

The New York Times

In Wired's estimation, these e-mails were not sent by Steve Jobs.

TechCrunch

The explanted IOLs were not sent for histology, and case 4 was found to have a macroscopically fibrosed lens capsule.

Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection

Moosajee said the texts were not sent to Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers, but did not reveal the recipients.

BBC

Senegal have invoked Fifa's five-day rule after claiming they were not sent details of Cisse's condition.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "were not sent", ensure the context clearly indicates what was supposed to be sent and to whom. This avoids ambiguity and ensures the message is easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "were not sent" when an active voice would be clearer. For example, instead of "The emails were not sent because of a server issue", write "A server issue prevented the emails from being sent".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not sent" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that an action (sending) was not performed on a particular subject. As Ludwig AI shows, it's used to describe a state where something that was expected to be dispatched or delivered did not happen.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were not sent" is a common and grammatically correct way to indicate that something was not dispatched or delivered. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides numerous examples across diverse sources. While versatile, it's crucial to ensure clarity regarding what was supposed to be sent and to whom. As the analysis shows, while "were not sent" is suitable for both neutral and scientific contexts, it's important to be aware of the benefits of active voice constructions in certain scenarios for improved clarity. The analysis provides semantically similar alternatives such as "were not dispatched" and "failed to be delivered", allowing for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were not dispatched

Replaces "sent" with "dispatched", emphasizing the act of sending something out.

were not mailed

Specifies that the items were not delivered through postal service.

were not shipped

Emphasizes that items were not transported, typically by a shipping service.

did not receive

Focuses on the recipient's perspective, indicating they didn't get something.

failed to be delivered

Highlights the unsuccessful attempt to deliver something.

were never transmitted

Replaces "sent" with "transmitted", suggesting a failure in electronic communication.

were not conveyed

Uses a more formal term, "conveyed", to indicate that information or items were not communicated or delivered.

were held back

Implies that something was intentionally prevented from being sent.

were not forwarded

Indicates that items were not passed on to another recipient or location.

were not remitted

Specifically indicates that funds were not transferred or sent.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "were not sent" in a more formal context?

In a formal context, you can use alternatives like "were not dispatched" or "were not conveyed" to maintain a professional tone.

What's the difference between "were not sent" and "did not receive"?

"Were not sent" focuses on the sender's action (or lack thereof), while "did not receive" focuses on the recipient's experience. The choice depends on the perspective you want to emphasize.

Is it correct to use "were not sent" in the active voice?

No, "were not sent" is already in the passive voice. To use the active voice, you might say something like "Someone did not send the documents".

What are some common reasons why items "were not sent"?

Common reasons include technical issues, such as server problems or incorrect addresses; human error, such as forgetting to send an item; or intentional withholding, depending on the context.