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All they did was vs All they did were

'All they did was' is the proper English phrasing. 'Was' is used because 'all they did' is a singular action, so it requires a singular verb. 'Were' is incorrect in this context.
Gregg profile picture

Explained by Gregg
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: February 06, 2025 • 6495 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"All they did was"

This phrase is used to emphasize that the only action taken by a group of people was a particular one. 'Was' is the correct verb to use in this context because 'all they did' is a singular action.

Examples:

  • All they did was complain about the situation.
  • All they did was eat pizza and watch movies.
  • All they did was try to help.
  • All they did was talk about their plans.
  • All they did was wait for the bus.
  • Jan 26, 2018 ... English Only. all they did was/ were? Thread starter Simin93; Start date Jan 26, 2018 · S · Simin93. Senior Member. Persian-Iran. Jan 26, 2018.
  • Aug 21, 2019 ... r/NoMansSkyTheGame - "All they did was turn some grass pink and let you. Upvote
  • Apr 6, 2011 ... I quit going to church because all they did was ask for money. I guess churches need money like everyone else, but I don't think they should ...
  • Sep 16, 2021 ... all they did was disable turbo. Glorious. r/razer - sent in ...
  • Sep 21, 2022 ... 1477 likes, 39 comments - big_olu55 on September 21, 2022: "Got the squad with me and all they did was show me love ".
  • Jan 12, 2022 ... Why was the Cowboy and Cheerleader and Football Player zombie's taking out ? Also why was the biker topless chick taken out all they did was ...
  • Mar 21, 2024 ... 635 likes, 35 comments - tamikalpalmer on March 21, 2024: "When I was down, nobody came for me all they did was came for me!!!!".
  • Nov 9, 2018 ... I got caught stealing from Wal-Mart and all they did was get my information and let me go ? What does this mean and what am I supposed to do ...
  • Mar 28, 2020 ... Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie Zine · Devo's Gerald Casale: “People that end up being called creative, all they did was stay true and in touch with their ...

Alternatives:

  • The only thing they did was
  • Their sole action was
  • Their only activity was
  • Their single task was
  • Their exclusive deed was

This phrase is incorrect in English.

"All they did were"

  • The staff was very kind, however I was disappointed that there was no desire to find out why my dog was so sick. All they did were basic tests that came back ...
  • Aug 4, 2024 ... They “played” all their popular songs but hooks only, but all they did were their adlibs. So basically they played 1 minute songs to catch ...
  • Aug 5, 2019 ... Because, actually, I think that particular place, all they did were ENT type surgeries, and probably primarily cochlear implants. And so ...
  • Jun 23, 2024 ... they seem to lost their own emotions because all they did were smirk, stutter, amused, and so on. there are not any character depth which i ...
  • Oct 5, 2005 ... Also, why did they overhaul an '05 Ford Mustang? They completed it in record time, of course, all they did were some body and engine mods. It ...
  • Nov 2, 2024 ... - But all they did were voicing their opinion. They didn't really attempt to censor you or force you in any way, did they? - They did, and ...
  • Apr 14, 2016 ... My team mates tell me that all they did were regular pull and push. There were no conflicts with the file I changed. If someone used force ...
  • Apr 26, 2024 ... I was conditioned to think that the hours I put in would reward me, but all they did were burn me out. This way of thinking made it really ...
  • Feb 20, 2020 ... ... all they did were run tests). Of course, shop denies working around that area.. (LOL) I just had ordered parts last night from FCP EURO, was ...
  • May 5, 2024 ... Such questions though based on my experiences yes, but they did not resonate with logic and with what the Buddha taught. All they did were ...

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