They were late. vs They was late.

The correct phrase is 'they were late.' 'They was late.' is incorrect because 'was' is the singular form of the verb 'to be,' while 'they' is a plural pronoun. In English, subject-verb agreement is essential, so the correct form should match the subject in number.

Last updated: April 03, 2024 • 630 views

Correct. 'They were late.' is the appropriate form with subject-verb agreement in the past tense.

"They were late."

This phrase is used to indicate that a group of people arrived after the expected time.

Examples:

They were late for the meeting.
Yesterday, they were late for the bus.
They were late to the party last night.
I heard they were late for the game.
Were they late for the flight?

Show examples from the web [+]

Sometimes a month or so down the road you'll end up getting a check in the mail from this person with a note as to why they were late.
That's why they were late.
The Commission had promised that it would submit them last autumn; unfortunately, they were rather late.
Why - They were late for another Interview.
They were late on an assignment.
Two days later a Spanish fleet arrived, sent from Seville to trap Drake but they were too late.
He and his brothers then turned back toward Vladimir in hopes of relieving the city before the Mongols took it, but they were too late.
Delays: The start of the two programmes was delayed because they were adopted late.
Emma and Regina raced to Henry, but they were too late.
32 The wheat and the wild grain were not ruined because they were late crops.) 33 Then Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the LORD.
The JLA from the year 2000 went back to the JSA in 1941 to try and stop Morrow, but they were too late.
Now the ambulance came and they tried everything they could, but I'm sorry, Bea, they were too late.
They were trained by late May.
If they were late coming home, I used to imagine that they died in a car wreck, just 'cause they were 15 minutes late.
Firefighters and paramedics arrived to free harris, But they were too late, sir.
In fact, the new own funds requirements should have entered into force on 1 January 1993; they were introduced late in Germany.
On the way to the hospital, because of all the traffic, they were an additional hour late.
In that context, the applicants submit that they lodged their requests within the appropriate time-limit and that they should not be held responsible for the fact that they were approved too late.
One third of the cancers diagnosed have a fatal outcome for the patient because they were diagnosed too late.
Think about what they were like when they were in their late 20s.

Incorrect. 'They was late.' does not follow subject-verb agreement rules in English.

"They was late."

Show examples from the web [+]

2 Suddenly, they realised that it was late.
Our inspector said her flight was late.
My flight from Washington was late.
He was late for morning prayers.
And Briggs was late that day.
Landlord said he was late on rent.
She was late for class, she was late for dinner.
First, payments to the recipients were late compared to the initial schedules, either because the project was late, or because the State was late in making the payments.
I was late again I would be summarily dismissed.
The placenta was late in coming.
The train was late and I missed the bus.
Sorry I was late on those boost pumps.
She was late taking her meds this morning.
Also last Sunday I was late.
Everyone was late, it rained and my dress was a disaster.
He was late learning to speak and everything.
This is the reason I was late for class.
I mean, I thought my period was late...
As always, she was late.
Train was late. I'm tired.

Alternatives:

They were late.

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They were late. vs They was late.

"They were late."

"They was late."

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