were not shown

USAGE SUMMARY

"were not shown" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is the negative form of the past tense verb "were shown," meaning that something was not displayed or presented. You can use "were not shown" in any sentence where you want to talk about something that was not presented or displayed. For example: - "The new product features were not shown in the presentation." - "The missing evidence was not shown in court." - "The results of the experiment were not shown to the public." - "The pictures were not shown to the students until they finished their assignments." - "The flaws in the design were not shown until it was too late."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The advocates were not shown other sites.

The New York Times

These were not shown in Poland.

The Guardian - Books

Burnham said recruits were not shown the trailers.

The New York Times - Sports

Still, it would inspire more if we were not shown facial close-ups.

The New York Times - Arts

The others, who were not shown the squares again until hours later, remained frightened.

The New Yorker

(Lindsay Weintraub, Greg Zales and Lisa Regenbogen, also guests at the party, were not shown).

The New York Times

To avoid leaks, lawyers were not shown the judgments until 8.30 this morning.

The Guardian

(Boeing has an order from the line for 63 planes, but its craft were not shown).

The New York Times

But it warned that if he were not shown respect, he would "break your neck".

The New York Times

The storyboards were not shown in open court.

The New York Times

There's nothing wrong with marketability — but the best independent films I've seen in recent years were not shown at Sundance.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were not shown", ensure the context clearly indicates who or what was not given the opportunity to see or view something. Clarity is key to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "were not shown" when an active voice construction would be more direct and clear. For example, instead of "The students were not shown the film", consider "The teacher did not show the film to the students".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not shown" functions as a passive voice construction of the verb 'show'. It indicates that the subject of the sentence did not receive the action of being shown something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

39%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were not shown" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to indicate that something was not displayed or presented. According to Ludwig AI, it's a valid passive construction, frequently used in both news and scientific contexts. When using the phrase, ensure clarity and consider whether an active voice construction might be more direct. Some alternatives include "were not displayed", "were not revealed", or "were not presented", each carrying slightly different nuances. Understanding these subtleties ensures precise and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were not displayed

Replaces 'shown' with 'displayed', emphasizing visual presentation.

were not revealed

Substitutes 'shown' with 'revealed', focusing on the act of uncovering or disclosing information.

were not exhibited

Replaces 'shown' with 'exhibited', suggesting a formal presentation or display.

were not presented

Uses 'presented' instead of 'shown', highlighting the act of formally introducing something.

were not visible

Focuses on the lack of visibility rather than the act of showing.

were not disclosed

Emphasizes the lack of disclosure or making something known.

were kept hidden

Shifts the focus to intentional concealment rather than a simple lack of display.

remained unseen

Highlights the state of not being seen, whether intentionally or not.

were not made available

Focuses on the lack of accessibility or provision.

were omitted

Emphasizes the act of leaving something out or excluding it from being shown.

FAQs

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

Use "were not shown" to indicate that something was not displayed or presented to someone. For example, "The results "were not shown" during the presentation".

What is a synonym for "were not shown"?

Synonyms for "were not shown" include "were not displayed", "were not revealed", or "were not presented", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "was not shown" instead of "were not shown"?

"Was not shown" is used with singular subjects, while "were not shown" is used with plural subjects. For example, "The document was not shown" (singular) versus "The documents "were not shown"" (plural).

What does it mean when something "were not shown"?

When something ""were not shown"", it means that it was not displayed, presented, or revealed to a particular audience or individual. This could be intentional or unintentional depending on the context.