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the news was vs the news were

The correct phrase is "the news was." In English, "news" is an uncountable noun and is treated as singular, so it should be paired with the singular verb "was."

Last updated: March 21, 2024 • 4523 views

the news was

This phrase is correct. In English, "news" is an uncountable noun and is treated as singular, so it should be paired with the singular verb "was."

Use this phrase when referring to a singular piece of news or a collection of news as a singular entity.

Examples:

  • The news was shocking.
  • The news was broadcasted on all channels.
  • The news was about a new scientific discovery.
  • Use singular forms with it, not plural: The news was good (NOT were good). | I was surprised by this news (NOT these news). Definition from the Longman ...
  • I read the news today, oh boy. About a lucky man who made the grade. And though the news was rather sad. Well I just had to laugh. I saw the photograph.
  • Due to record label delays on the release of their third studio album, Sports, Huey Lewis and the News was back to square one in late 1983, touring small clubs ...
  • I read the news today oh boy. About a lucky man who made the grade. And though the news was rather sad. Well I just had to laugh. I saw the photograph

Alternatives:

  • The news was
  • The news story was
  • The news report was
  • The news update was
  • The news article was

the news were

This phrase is incorrect. In English, "news" is an uncountable noun and should be paired with the singular verb "was."

  • Twenty years ago environmental issues rarely made the news (=were considered important enough to be in the news). be in the news. Hong Kong is in the news ...
  • ... for Africa, in which Huey Lewis and the News were participants; however, this award went to the song's producer, Quincy Jones, and not to any of the artists.
  • ... Radio News Washington Correspondent Dan Raviv. Repeats of the original In the News were seen during commercial breaks on TV Land in the late 1990s.
  • ... prominently in the 1985 sci-fi classic Back to the Future, Huey Lewis and the News were all but assured a place as one of the most defining acts of the decade .

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