Used and loved by millions

Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

MitStanfordHarvardAustralian Nationa UniversityNanyangOxford

were not submitted

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were not submitted" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use this phrase in any sentence where you are expressing that something was not submitted, such as "The reports were not submitted on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Some papers were not submitted to the proceedings.

Charges of assaulting the defense lawyer and court officers were not submitted, partly for lack of evidence of injury.

News & Media

The New York Times

Questions were asked on a first-come first-served basis during the event and were not submitted in advance".

News & Media

The Guardian

The Direct Action plan, the border security policy and the national broadband policy were not submitted to the PBO.

News & Media

The Guardian

The system presents a commercial interest, because energetic costs were minimized, and the cells were not submitted to any shear stress due to pumping or circulation.

Three were not submitted to California's database of arrest-related deaths, which attorney general Kamala Harris opened to the public earlier this year.

News & Media

The Guardian

In tastings for this wine column since January, I have had East End wines that were not submitted and might have been winners.

News & Media

The New York Times

Nascar said oil pans from cars driven by Hamlin, Busch and Joey Logano were not submitted for approval before opening-day inspection.

But according to prosecutors' notes and medical records, the physician did not take the full array of forensic samples from the woman, and the two samples that were taken were not submitted for genetic checks.

News & Media

The New York Times

Under the original plan, no compensation would be made for deals that were not submitted on time, leaving many dealers fearful that they would be left on the hook for clunker sales they made.

News & Media

The New York Times

It was among e-mail messages written on June 23 and June 24 of 2002 that were not submitted to prosecutors as part of a grand jury subpoena of documents because they were considered privileged.

News & Media

The New York Times
Show more...

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were not submitted", ensure the context clearly indicates what should have been submitted and to whom. This avoids ambiguity and ensures your message is easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "was not submitted" when referring to multiple items. The plural verb "were" should be used with plural subjects. For example, "The reports were not submitted", not "The reports was not submitted".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

85%

Authority and reliability

4.6/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were not submitted" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that the subject did not perform the action of submitting. Instead, the subject was acted upon. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples across different contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

46%

News & Media

43%

Academia

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were not submitted" is a grammatically sound and widely used passive voice phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It indicates a failure to submit something, often implying non-compliance or incompletion. It's most commonly found in scientific and news contexts. When using this phrase, ensure correct subject-verb agreement (plural subjects require "were") and clarity regarding what should have been submitted. Related alternatives include "were not handed in", "were not presented", and "were not filed", each with slightly different connotations. By following these guidelines, you can effectively and accurately use "were not submitted" in your writing.

FAQs

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

You can use "were not submitted" to indicate that something that was expected or required to be submitted, was not. For example, "The applications "were not submitted" before the deadline."

What are some alternatives to "were not submitted"?

Alternatives include phrases like "were not handed in", "were not presented", or "were not filed", depending on the specific context.

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

"Was not submitted" is used for singular subjects, while "were not submitted" is used for plural subjects. For example, "The document was not submitted", but "The documents "were not submitted"".

What's the difference between "were not submitted" and "were not accepted"?

"Were not submitted" means something was not presented for consideration. "Were not accepted" means something was presented but rejected. Submission precedes acceptance; something must be submitted before it can be accepted or rejected.

ChatGPT power + Grammarly precisionChatGPT power + Grammarly precision
ChatGPT + Grammarly

Editing plus AI, all in one place.

Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.

Source & Trust

85%

Authority and reliability

4.6/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: