were shipped

USAGE SUMMARY

'were shipped' is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It is a form of the verb 'to ship', meaning to send or transport goods or people. Example sentence: The brand new chairs were shipped to the office last week.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And jobs were shipped overseas.

The New York Times

They were shipped, I believe, to Vladivostok.

The New Yorker

Cars from 27 countries were shipped in.

The New York Times

Hundreds of prisoners were shipped to Mendocino.

The New York Times

Thousands of Lithuanians were shipped to Siberia.

The New York Times

Jobs were shipped overseas by the millions.

The New York Times

Records were shipped to Washington for processing.

The Washington Post

Some asylum seekers were shipped to Hungary.

The Washington Post

The bullfrogs were shipped from the Dominican Republic.

The New York Times

were shipped in interstate or foreign commerce, 9.02percentnt.

Cornell University

The only commercial products were shipped from the US!

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "were shipped" in passive voice constructions when you want to emphasize the object being transported rather than the agent doing the shipping. For example, "The components were shipped to the base one by one."

Common error

Avoid using "were shipped" when the active voice is more appropriate and direct. For example, instead of "The company were shipped the goods", use "The company shipped the goods."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were shipped" functions as a passive verb phrase. It indicates that the subject of the sentence underwent the action of being transported or sent. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a standard and grammatically correct construction in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

31%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "were shipped" is a versatile and grammatically sound passive verb phrase used to describe the transportation or sending of goods or people. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is widely accepted and utilized across diverse writing contexts. Its prevalence in news, scientific, and academic domains underscores its utility. When employing this phrase, remember to emphasize the recipient of the action rather than the actor, and be mindful of whether active voice might provide a more direct and impactful alternative. By understanding its nuances, you can effectively use "were shipped" to communicate clearly and precisely.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were transported

Emphasizes the act of moving something from one place to another, often over a considerable distance.

were dispatched

Suggests a more formal or official sending of goods or people.

were delivered

Focuses on the arrival of the goods at their destination.

were conveyed

Implies a more formal or legalistic transfer.

were forwarded

Suggests sending something on to a further destination.

were exported

Specifically refers to sending goods out of a country.

were conveyed

Suggests a more formal or legalistic transfer.

were routed

Indicates that items followed a particular course or path.

were transmitted

Implies sending something, often data or signals, electronically.

were freighted

Focuses on the transportation of goods, especially in bulk.

FAQs

How is "were shipped" used in a sentence?

"Were shipped" is used in the passive voice to indicate that something was transported or sent. For instance, "The goods "were shipped" overseas last week" shows the goods as the recipients of the action.

What can I say instead of "were shipped"?

You can use alternatives like "were transported", "were dispatched", or "were delivered" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use the passive voice with "were shipped"?

Use the passive voice with "were shipped" when the action is more important than the actor, or when the actor is unknown or irrelevant. For example, "The products "were shipped" on time" focuses on the timeliness of the shipment.

What's the difference between "were shipped" and "shipped"?

"Were shipped" is passive voice, indicating something received the action. "Shipped" is active voice, indicating someone performed the action. "The components "were shipped" to the base" (passive) versus "The company shipped the components" (active).