were picked from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were picked from" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing items or individuals that have been selected from a larger group or collection. Example: "The best candidates were picked from a pool of over a hundred applicants."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Colonies were picked from the master plate, and used as DNA template for PCR.

Journal of Virological Methods

Reference sires were picked from a team of six rams of which half were replaced each year.

Livestock Production Science

Single colonies were picked from each library and inoculated into 96-well plates (U type).

Nature

Participants were picked from multiple disciplines, including product design, transportation and graphics.

The New York Times

The 80 finalists were picked from 19 regional qualifying competitions, the first held at Berkeley in September, according to Citadel.

University of California, Berkeley

Briefly, protein bands were picked from the SDS gel.

AMB Express

Winners were picked from a pool of 50 finalists.

TechCrunch

After incubation, single colonies were picked from the edge of the clearing zones caused by EMS.

AMB Express

This year's teams were picked from an application pool of 262 teams.

TechCrunch

Similar belts, labelled B1 and B2, were picked from the same substrate for four-point-probe measurements.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Transformants were picked from LB plates containing ampicillin at a final concentration of 10 µg/mL as a selectable marker.

AMB Express

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "were picked from", ensure the context clearly indicates the criteria or method used for selection to provide clarity and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses mid-sentence. If the picking action occurred in the past, maintain past tense throughout the description. For example, don't mix "were picked from" with present tense verbs later in the same sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were picked from" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that a subject (items or individuals) underwent a process of selection from a larger group. Ludwig examples show its use across various domains.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

20%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "were picked from" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that items or individuals have been selected from a larger group. Ludwig AI indicates its wide usability. While it is appropriate for many contexts, more formal alternatives like "were selected from" might be preferable in academic or professional settings. The phrase appears frequently in scientific and news-related content, emphasizing its broad applicability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were handpicked from

This alternative emphasizes that the picking process was personally supervised and meticulous.

were selected from

This alternative replaces "picked" with "selected", emphasizing a more formal or deliberate choice.

were chosen from

This alternative uses "chosen" instead of "picked", suggesting a conscious decision or preference.

were taken from

This alternative substitutes "picked" with "taken", suggesting a direct removal or acquisition from a source.

were drawn from

This alternative uses "drawn" to imply a selection process that might involve chance or randomness.

were extracted from

This alternative, employing "extracted", emphasizes the removal of elements from a larger context or source.

were obtained from

Using "obtained", this alternative highlights the act of acquiring something from a source.

were derived from

This alternative replaces "picked" with "derived", implying that something originates or stems from a particular source.

were recruited from

This alternative, using "recruited", indicates that selection was performed with a specific purpose or role in mind.

were designated from

Using "designated", the alternative points out a formal assignment from within a group.

FAQs

How can I use "were picked from" in a sentence?

You can use "were picked from" to indicate that items or individuals were selected from a larger group, as in "The finalists "were picked from" hundreds of applicants".

What's a more formal way to say "were picked from"?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives such as "were selected from" or "were chosen from".

Is "were picked from" appropriate for academic writing?

Yes, "were picked from" is acceptable in academic writing, but ensure the tone aligns with the specific field. More formal alternatives like "were selected from" may be preferred in some contexts.

What is the difference between "were picked from" and "were taken from"?

"Were picked from" suggests a deliberate selection, while "were taken from" implies removal or acquisition without necessarily suggesting a specific choice or criterion.