In the preceding days

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "In the preceding days" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the days leading up to a specific event or moment in time. Example: "In the preceding days, we had been preparing for the conference and finalizing our presentations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

In the preceding days, visitors had come from the British and European Parliaments.

The New York Times

In the preceding days, Hussein had called Tariq Najm, Maliki's closest confidant, to offer the Kurds' assistance in confronting ISIS.

The New Yorker

In the preceding days, he had considered sending federal marshals to collect the absent lawyers, if only to have them appear before him by video link.

The New Yorker

In the preceding days, Gundlach's daughters, all of whom are in their twenties, had made several trips to their flooded home.

The New Yorker

In the preceding days, the U.N. had reported that pro-Assad militias were going house to house, and had executed scores of civilians, including women and children.

The New Yorker

In the preceding days, a series of carefully-balanced gestures had been intended to create goodwill all round: the British army took down the last of its watchtowers along the South Armagh border, and ministers announced £30m ($52m) in grants for depressed loyalist districts.The biggest stumbling block remains the Rev Ian Paisley, the intransigent head of the Democratic Unionist Party.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

At the airport, where there had been some difficulty during the preceding days (an uncanny number of suitcases belonging to marchers were mislaid by the airlines), new flights had been scheduled to get the marchers out of Montgomery.

The New Yorker

Going through whatever you have learnt that day, (or the preceding day), will definitely boost your memory and learning abilities.

WikiHow

Revertant colonies first appearing on days 4, 5, and 6 (not present on the preceding day) all show a slope of −1 in the above plot, indicating a Luria Delbruck distribution.

Genetics

In addition, an average of the three preceding days (e.g. a 72 h period) from the visit to the clinic (day 0) were calculated and used in the regression models (see below).

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

In addition, longitudinal changes of PCT concentration between D0 and the four preceding days were also significantly higher in patients with proven CRBSI than in those with not proven CRBSI (ΔPCTD-4, D0: p < 0.001; ΔPCTD-3, D0: p < 0.001; ΔPCTD-2, D0: p < 0.001; ΔPCTD-1, D0: p < 0.001).

BMC Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "In the preceding days" to establish a clear timeline when detailing events leading up to a specific incident or date. It provides context and helps the reader understand the sequence of events.

Common error

Ensure that the context makes it clear which event the "preceding days" are leading up to. Without a clear reference, the phrase can become vague and confusing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in the preceding days" functions as an adverbial phrase, specifically a prepositional phrase acting as an adjunct. It modifies a verb or clause by specifying the time frame immediately before a particular event. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "in the preceding days" is a grammatically sound and commonly used prepositional phrase that sets a temporal context, referring to the period immediately before a specific event or time. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. As demonstrated by the examples provided, it is most frequently used in news and media, scientific, and wiki contexts to provide clarity and establish a timeline. When using this phrase, ensure a clear reference point to avoid ambiguity. Related phrases include "in the prior days" and "in the days leading up to". Overall, this phrase is a useful tool for writers aiming to provide a clear sequence of events, and this is verified by Ludwig AI.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

In the prior days

Changes the word "preceding" to "prior", maintaining the temporal reference but with a slightly different tone.

During the previous days

Replaces "preceding" with "previous" and uses "during" to describe the timeframe.

In the days before

Uses a more common and straightforward wording to indicate the days leading up to an event.

In the days leading up to

Emphasizes the idea of approaching a specific event over a period of time.

Over the past few days

Highlights the duration and is suitable when referring to a period of a few days.

In the immediate past

Refers to a recent time frame, but is more general and less specific than mentioning "days".

Leading up to

A concise option that emphasizes the period approaching a particular event.

In the recent past

Similar to 'in the immediate past', this indicates a time not long ago, but lacks the precision of 'days'.

In the week before

Expands the timeframe to a week, changing the scope of the temporal reference.

In anticipation of

Focuses on the expected event and actions taken before it.

FAQs

How can I use "In the preceding days" in a sentence?

Use "In the preceding days" to describe events that occurred right before a specific event. For example, "In the preceding days, the weather had been unusually warm."

What are some alternatives to "In the preceding days"?

You can use phrases like "in the days before", "in the prior days", or "in the days leading up to" as alternatives depending on the context.

Is it better to use "In the preceding days" or "In the following days"?

"In the preceding days" refers to the days before an event, while "in the following days" refers to the days after an event. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the temporal relationship you want to convey.

What is the difference between "In the preceding days" and "In the previous days"?

While both phrases are similar, "preceding" often implies a more direct and immediate sequence leading up to a specific event, while "previous" can refer to a more general past timeframe. In most contexts, they are interchangeable.