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there were no vs there was no

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'There were no' is used when referring to multiple items or things that were absent, while 'There was no' is used when referring to a singular item or thing that was absent.

Last updated: March 15, 2024

there were no

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to multiple items or things that were absent.

Use 'there were no' when you want to indicate the absence of multiple items or things. It is the plural form of 'there was no.'

Examples:

  • There were no apples left in the basket.
  • There were no students in the classroom.
  • There were no cars parked in the lot.
  • There were no books on the shelf.
  • There were no clouds in the sky.
  • He told them there were no combatants.
  • Which explained why there were no older people.
  • My father said there were no monsters.
  • Just that tonight I dreamed there were no tanks... and the truck was never lost.
  • I thought you said there were no foreigners in Wangcheng.
  • On faucets, glasses and handles there were no prints of yours.
  • I heard there were no gamblers in this town.
  • You said there were no men around here.
  • I was studying to be a CPA when there were no women accountants.
  • My records said, there were no women on the team.
  • Because there were no stronghold of Fretilin fighters... and they camped at Balibo.
  • I know that there were no cabins, certainly no children.
  • I thought you said there were no crocodiles.
  • Or why there were no mirrors in the whole house.
  • First CT was negative, there were no neurological symptoms.
  • You said there were no significant ramifications.
  • Door was wide open and there were no bags anywhere.
  • Three more victims were kidnapped, there were no witnesses.
  • That's why there were no bomb fragments, no explosive residue.
  • No, there were no other cars.

Alternatives:

  • There were none
  • There were no signs of life
  • There were no traces of the missing person
  • There were no messages on the answering machine
  • There were no leftovers from dinner

there was no

This phrase is correct and commonly used when referring to a singular item or thing that was absent.

Use 'there was no' when you want to indicate the absence of a singular item or thing. It is the singular form of 'there were no.'

Examples:

  • There was no milk in the fridge.
  • There was no time to waste.
  • There was no money in the wallet.
  • There was no answer to the question.
  • There was no way to fix the problem.
  • They said there was no hope.
  • Come on, we ruled him out because there was no motive.
  • He said there was no information or records.
  • Unfortunately, there was no other DNA on them.
  • Except there was no exit wound.
  • When you left, there was no fire.
  • That's when I knew there was no hope.
  • Freud said there was no cure but that perhaps he could transform unbearable unhappiness into simple human misery.
  • Your own lab said that there was no evidence.
  • Because there was no other way to see you.
  • Lab tests would have detected that there was no blood on them.
  • The thing is, there was no protection on the source computer.
  • Unfortunately, there was no surveillance video.
  • But there was no indication that the thrombosis was this bad.
  • The food was not enough to sustain life, there was no milk, there was no meat, there was no food, there was nothing.
  • Actually, there was no competition.
  • Actually, there was no thought.
  • Look, there was no conversing.
  • Told you there was no professor here.
  • Mother, there was no hussy.

Alternatives:

  • There was none
  • There was no sign of life
  • There was no trace of the missing person
  • There was no message on the answering machine
  • There was no leftover from dinner

Related Comparisons

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