which were missing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "which were missing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that has gone missing from a particular place or situation. For example, "The police examined the room for any clues, which were missing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

The Telegraph's upgraded iPad app features letters, cartoons, galleries and puzzles – all of which were missing in the first version.

The Guardian

Dr. Lee won his freedom and agreed to explain why he had downloaded the data and what happened to the tapes, at least seven of which were missing.

The New York Times

Investigators discovered that Dr. Lee had downloaded vast amounts of classified material and copied it onto portable computer disks, some of which were missing.

The New York Times

It's all but certain Trump will bring both the excitement and the fire – both of which were missing in New Hampshire.

The Guardian

For 300 years, people just took the bits which were missing from one, and put them in the other, and everyone was happy," said Vickers, who is a senior fellow at the School of Advanced Study, University of London.

The Guardian - Books

The paintings, which were missing for 165 years, were bought by London art dealer Libby Howie on behalf of an anonymous client after they were rediscovered in Glasgow in late 2001.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

21 human-written examples

"Commercialisation can reveal environmental and practical problems which were missed at the small scale".

The Guardian

Also, this work has filled in some of the solution regimes for an impact pair, which were missed previously in the literature.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

From Thursday August 23, the flames approached the area even though there were several opportunities to extinguish them which were missed.

Huffington Post

Out of a total of 75 adhesins, there were there were 24 positives ('misses') which were missed by at least one of the models and only 5 positives ('worst misses') which were missed by all the three classifiers.

Plosone

However, TREAT was successful at identifying a number of highly relevant GO categories which were missed by moderated t.

Bioinformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "which were missing" to highlight a notable absence, especially when the missing items are crucial or unexpected. This can add emphasis to the situation being described.

Common error

Avoid using "which were missing" without clearly defining the expected scope or total number of items. Otherwise, the sentence may lack context and leave the reader confused about the significance of the absence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "which were missing" functions as a non-restrictive relative clause, providing additional information about the noun it modifies. It adds descriptive detail without being essential to the core meaning of the sentence. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "which were missing" is a grammatically sound phrase used to introduce non-restrictive relative clauses that emphasize the absence of certain elements. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and usability. The phrase is most commonly found in scientific and news contexts, maintaining a neutral register suitable for diverse audiences. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity regarding what is expected to be present and avoid ambiguity to effectively communicate the significance of the missing elements. Alternatives include "that were absent" or "that were lacking", offering subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that were absent

Focuses on the state of being absent rather than the action of disappearing.

that had disappeared

Emphasizes the completed action of disappearing, providing a slightly different nuance.

that were lacking

Highlights a deficiency or insufficiency.

that were not present

States the absence in a more direct and neutral way.

that were gone

Emphasizes the completed state of being gone or vanished.

that were omitted

Suggests a deliberate act of leaving something out.

that were excluded

Indicates a specific act of exclusion from a group or set.

that were not included

Similar to "excluded" but can also imply unintentional omission.

that were deficient

Highlights the state of being inadequate or incomplete.

that were unaccounted for

Emphasizes the inability to explain the absence of something.

FAQs

How can I use "which were missing" in a sentence?

You can use "which were missing" to describe items or qualities that are absent from a particular situation or collection. For example: "The report highlighted several key data points, "which were missing" from the initial analysis."

What are some alternatives to "which were missing"?

Some alternatives include "that were absent", "that were lacking", or "that were not present", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "that were missing" instead of "which were missing"?

While both "that" and "which" can introduce relative clauses, "which" is generally preferred for non-restrictive clauses that add extra information but are not essential to the sentence's meaning. "That" is more common for restrictive clauses that are essential. In many cases, either is acceptable but consider the context.

What's the difference between "which were missing" and "which were lost"?

"Which were missing" implies that something is absent but not necessarily permanently gone, while "which were lost" suggests that something is gone and unlikely to be recovered. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the possibility of return or the finality of the absence.