were stated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "were stated" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to something that has been expressed or declared in the past. Example: "The terms of the agreement were stated clearly in the contract."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Inevitably, there were stated suspicions about her own achievement, too.

The New York Times - Sports

The Serious Fraud Office is continuing to investigate the way that the accounts were stated.

The Guardian - Business

Those figures were stated under international accounting standards, which Daimler adopted this spring, however.

The New York Times

These were stated as accomplishments so that no one would doubt that what we did during this period was meaningful.

The Guardian

Instead, the feelings and situation of women were stated and interpreted.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He had previously stood by the substance of the remarks, which he said were stated inelegantly.

The New York Times

Inclusion and exclusion criteria were stated.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

Wardrop's principles were stated as follows.

Fixed Point Theory and Applications

The data were stated as means ± standard error (X ± SE).

The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology

Similar errors were stated in other very high resolution studies.

Carbon Balance and Management

Admixture dosages were stated in % by weight of cement (bwoc).

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Employ this phrase when the identity of the speaker is less important than the content of the statement itself, which is common in formal reporting.

Common error

Do not rely on "were stated" when an active subject would provide more clarity or accountability. For example, in a news story, "The witness stated" is often more impactful than "it was stated by the witness".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "were stated" functions as a passive verb phrase composed of the past tense plural form of the auxiliary verb "to be" and the past participle of "state". As confirmed by Ludwig, it is used to attribute a specific declaration or fact to a source without requiring the source to be the grammatical subject of the sentence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "were stated" is a robust and grammatically correct passive construction frequently used in high-authority English writing. According to Ludwig, it is most prevalent in scientific and academic contexts, where it serves to introduce parameters, results or hypotheses with professional detachment. While it is perfectly acceptable in news and formal business writing, authors should ensure they are not overusing the passive voice when an active construction might be more direct. Overall, it is an essential tool for any writer looking to convey information with clarity and authority.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

were declared

Suggests a more formal or authoritative announcement

were expressed

Focuses more on the communication of feelings or thoughts

were specified

Implies a higher level of detail and precision

were articulated

Emphasizes the clarity and coherence of the statement

were reported

Standard in news and scientific data presentation

were indicated

Suggests showing or pointing out rather than explicitly saying

were mentioned

Less formal and suggests a brief or incidental reference

were formulated

Focuses on the process of creating the statement or rule

were detailed

Emphasizes that comprehensive information was provided

were announced

Used when information is made public for the first time

FAQs

How to use "were stated" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe facts or conditions that were previously established, such as "The goals of the project "were stated" clearly in the introduction" or use a synonym like "were specified".

What can I say instead of "were stated"?

Depending on the context, you might prefer "were declared" for formal announcements, "were reported" for data or "were expressed" for opinions.

Is it better to use "were stated" or "were said"?

"were stated" is much more formal and precise, making it ideal for academic or professional documents. In contrast, "were said" is more common in casual conversation or general fiction.

Can I use "were stated" for plural subjects?

Yes, "were stated" is specifically for plural subjects or collective nouns treated as plural. If you have a singular subject, you should use "was stated" instead.