The spelling of the phrase "were brought about" may seem confusing, but it follows the rules of English phonetics. "Were" is pronounced /wər/ and is spelled with a silent "e" at the end to indicate the previous consonant is a long vowel sound. "Brought" is pronounced /brɔt/ with the "ou" forming a diphthong sound. And "about" is pronounced /əˈbaʊt/ with the stress on the second syllable and the "ou" forming another diphthong. The combination of these phonetic sounds results in the spelling: "were brought about."
"Were brought about" is a past tense phrase that refers to the action of causing or producing something. It is often used to describe the outcome of a series of events or actions that led to a specific result or change.
The term "were brought about" implies that something happened as a direct consequence of certain factors or influences. It suggests that an event, situation, or condition was initiated or created by a deliberate action or set of circumstances. The phrase emphasizes the cause-effect relationship, highlighting that the outcome was not arbitrary, but rather the direct result of certain causes.
For instance, if we say that changes in technology were brought about by advancements in research and development, we mean that scientific progress and innovation played a crucial role in leading to those changes. It implies that technological advancements did not occur spontaneously, but instead resulted from a deliberate effort to improve and create new technologies.
In summary, "were brought about" refers to the causation or production of something, indicating that a particular result or change was intentionally or logically caused by preceding events or actions. It underscores the cause-effect relationship, emphasizing the significance of the factors or influences that generated the outcome.