The word(s) "were" appears 425 time(s) in 385 verse(s) in Quran in Muhammad Pickthal translation.

(171) And that which they were wont to count as gain availed them not.

(172) And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers!

(173) That He may explain unto them that wherein they differ, and that those who disbelieved may know that they were liars.

(174) If Allah were to take mankind to task for their wrong-doing, he would not leave hereon a living creature, but He reprieveth them to an appointed term, and when their term cometh they cannot put (it) off an hour nor (yet) advance (it).

(175) Then lo! thy Lord - for those who became fugitives after they had been persecuted, and then fought and were steadfast - lo! thy Lord afterward is (for them) indeed Forgiving, Merciful.

(176) And verily there had come unto them a messenger from among them, but they had denied him, and so the torment seized them while they were wrong-doers.

(177) And unto those who are Jews We have forbidden that which We have already related unto thee. And We wronged them not, but they were wont to wrong themselves.

(178) If ye punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith ye were afflicted. But if ye endure patiently, verily it is better for the patient.

(179) (They were) the seed of those whom We carried (in the ship) along with Noah. Lo! he was a grateful slave.

(180) Lo! the squanderers were ever brothers of the devils, and the devil was ever an ingrate to his Lord.