were provided with

USAGE SUMMARY

"were provided with" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the act of being given something. For example: The students were provided with new textbooks for the upcoming semester.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They were provided with water.

The New York Times

Later, tunnels were provided with towpaths.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In Armonk, visitors were provided with blue paper booties.

The New York Times

They were provided with advance copies by the publisher.

The New York Times - Books

The pair were provided with lawyers by the company.

The Guardian

It's a shame no texts were provided with the programme.

The Guardian - Music

"We were provided with the official spill site list.

The Guardian

Then the students were provided with earthquake resistant design training.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Additionally, patients were provided with a written self-help manual.

Patient Education and Counseling

And those who were so inclined were provided with excellent material for satire and gossip.

The New York Times - Style

They were provided with a fine house but only a single bed.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were provided with" when you want to emphasize that someone received something, often a resource or service, as a result of a specific action or arrangement.

Common error

Avoid replacing "with" with other prepositions such as "by" or "for". The correct structure is "were provided with" + [the thing provided].

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were provided with" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that a subject received something. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use across various domains to show the act of supplying or giving something to someone or something.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

43%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were provided with" is a versatile and frequently used phrase to indicate that someone received something. As verified by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically sound and widely accepted in English writing. Predominantly found in Science and News & Media contexts, this passive construction lends a formal tone, making it suitable for professional, academic, and journalistic writing. When aiming for clarity, remember to follow the phrase with the specific resource or service that was given. While alternatives like "were given" exist for simpler phrasing, understanding the nuance and proper context for "were provided with" will enhance your writing precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were given

A more direct and simple way of saying something was supplied.

were supplied with

Emphasizes the act of supplying something that is needed.

received

Focuses on the act of getting something, rather than the act of giving.

were furnished with

Suggests a more formal or complete provision of something.

were presented with

Emphasizes the act of formally giving or offering something.

were equipped with

Highlights the idea of being outfitted or prepared with something.

were granted

Implies a formal or official provision of something.

were allocated

Suggests something was distributed or assigned for a specific purpose.

were awarded

Implies recognition or merit in receiving something.

were entrusted with

Highlights the element of trust or responsibility in being given something.

FAQs

How can I use "were provided with" in a sentence?

Use "were provided with" to indicate that someone received something. For example, "The refugees "were provided with" shelter and food."

What is a simple alternative to "were provided with"?

A simpler alternative is "were given". For example, instead of "The students were provided with textbooks", you can say "The students were given textbooks".

Is it better to use active or passive voice with "were provided with"?

The phrase "were provided with" is in the passive voice. To use the active voice, rephrase the sentence. For example, instead of "The attendees "were provided with" refreshments", you could say "The organizers provided the attendees with refreshments".

What's the difference between "were provided with" and "were supplied with"?

"Were provided with" and "were supplied with" are very similar. "Were supplied with" often implies that something essential or necessary was given. The nuance depends on the context.