you were examining

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "you were examining" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a past action of looking closely at something or investigating it. Example: "During the meeting, I noticed that you were examining the report closely for any discrepancies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

**In "Bed and Board" you were examining the problems of romantic relationships.

The New Yorker

Interview yourself; ask yourself honest questions as if you were examining a person you just met.

Huffington Post

For example, if you were examining the movie The Shining, you might argue that the filmmaker Stanley Kubrick's goal is to call attention to the poor treatment of Native Americans because of the strong Native American themes present in the movie.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Following your arrival at the hospital, how long did you wait before you were examined by a doctor?

BMC Health Services Research

The cover art of the album for the song you're examining is always on display.

The New York Times - Tech

You're always talking to someone — the people you're examining.

The New York Times

Deena Weintraub, a photographer in Yorktown Heights, said: "In documentary photography, you're examining an event and yourself.

The New York Times

Like his friend and mentor Jerry Seinfeld, Elmaleh likes to work in an observational, sociological mode a tough thing to pull off when the society you're examining is less familiar to you than it is to your audience.

The New Yorker

We are afraid of your 'conscientious objections', we are afraid that you won't tell us the truth when you are examining us or giving us blood-test results.

The Guardian - Opinion

"The idea is that when you are examining a rape patient, you have no other duties and no other priorities, so all of your attention goes to the victim".

The New York Times

(The interactivity is a bit limited for now, but you can adjust the time period that you're examining).

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "you were examining" when you want to emphasize a detailed look or investigation that occurred in the past. For example, "During the audit, it was noted that "you were examining" financial records from 2018."

Common error

Ensure that the tense of "examining" aligns with the overall tense of the sentence. Avoid mixing past and present tenses inappropriately, such as, "Yesterday, "you were examining" the data, but now you examine the same data again."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "you were examining" functions as a verb phrase in the past continuous tense. It describes an action of examining that was ongoing at a specific time in the past. Ludwig examples show usage in news, wiki and media.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "you were examining" is a grammatically correct past continuous verb phrase used to describe an action of close inspection or investigation that occurred in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. While not overly frequent, it appears in various contexts, from news and media to scientific discussions. When writing, ensure the tense consistency. Alternatives such as "you were investigating" or "you were analyzing" can be used depending on the desired nuance. The examples found by Ludwig showcase its versatility in describing past actions across different domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

you were investigating

Replaces "examining" with a more formal term suggesting a systematic inquiry.

you were analyzing

Emphasizes the process of breaking down a subject into its components for detailed study.

you were scrutinizing

Suggests a very careful and critical examination.

you were inspecting

Implies a detailed visual check, often for quality or completeness.

you were reviewing

Indicates a formal assessment or evaluation.

you were checking out

An informal way of saying you were looking at something closely.

you were looking into

Suggests an inquiry or investigation into a matter.

you were studying

Focuses on learning or understanding something through careful observation and analysis.

you were assessing

Highlights the act of evaluating or judging something.

you were exploring

Implies a less structured and more open-ended investigation.

FAQs

How can I use "you were examining" in a sentence?

Use "you were examining" to describe a past action of closely inspecting or investigating something. For example, "I noticed "you were examining" the contract carefully."

What phrases are similar to "you were examining"?

Alternatives include "you were investigating", "you were analyzing", or "you were reviewing", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "you are examining" instead of "you were examining"?

While "you are examining" is grammatically correct, it refers to a present action. Use "you were examining" to refer to an action that occurred in the past. The choice depends on the timeline of the event you are describing.

What's the difference between "you were examining" and "you had examined"?

"You were examining" describes a continuous action in the past, while "you had examined" ("you had examined") describes an action completed before another point in the past. For example, "You were examining the evidence when I entered the room" versus "You had examined all the evidence before I arrived."