a former fellow

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a former fellow" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to someone who previously held a fellowship or was part of a fellowship program. Example: "Dr. Smith, a former fellow at the research institute, shared valuable insights during the conference."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

He is also a former fellow, associate and affiliate of the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center.

Harvard University

She is a former Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung.

Harvard University

His successor, Peter Martin, also a former Fellow, retired in 2005.

Columbia University

James O'Fallon, a law professor and faculty athletics representative at Oregon and a former fellow at Harvard.

The New York Times

A former fellow captive said Sotloff had even succeeded in fasting for the festival of Yom Kippur by feigning illness.

Independent

"Mike loved the unpredictability and rhythm of Africa," said John Darnton, a former fellow correspondent with The Times.

The New York Times

If wasn't a former fellow student looking for investment in the next big thing, it was the school itself.

The Economist

Primavera was a former fellow and current faculty associate at the Berkmain-Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.

Harvard University

She is also a former fellow at Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington, D.C. (2015, 2017 2018).

Harvard University

She is a graduate of Harvard University and Yale Law School and a former fellow of the Information Society Project.

Harvard University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

They met up with a former fellow-soldier of K.'s known as Mapenga.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a former fellow", clearly specify the institution or program to provide context and avoid ambiguity. For instance, "a former fellow at Harvard University" is more informative than just "a former fellow".

Common error

Avoid using "a former fellow" without mentioning the specific fellowship or institution. This can leave the reader wondering about the fellow's area of expertise or the significance of the fellowship.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a former fellow" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It identifies someone by their previous association with a fellowship program. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

42%

News & Media

41%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a former fellow" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase to describe someone who previously held a fellowship. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across different contexts. The phrase is most frequently found in academic and news media sources, suggesting a neutral to professional register. It's important to specify the institution or fellowship program to provide sufficient context. Alternatives include "an ex-fellow" or "a past fellow". The phrase serves to add background information or establish credibility by highlighting past affiliations. Therefore, using "a former fellow" appropriately enhances the clarity and authority of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an ex-fellow

Replaces "former" with "ex-", a more informal synonym.

a past fellow

Uses "past" instead of "former", maintaining the same meaning.

previously a fellow

Rephrases to emphasize the prior status as a fellow.

one-time fellow

Uses "one-time" to indicate a past period as a fellow.

a fellow in the past

Rearranges the phrase to highlight the temporal aspect.

once a fellow

Uses "once" to signify a past affiliation.

used to be a fellow

Expresses the past fellowship using the phrase "used to be".

a prior fellow

Substitutes "former" with "prior", indicating precedence.

formerly a fellow

Adverbial form emphasizing the past status.

an erstwhile fellow

Uses "erstwhile", a more formal and less common synonym for "former".

FAQs

How do I use "a former fellow" in a sentence?

Use "a former fellow" to describe someone who previously held a fellowship. For example, "She is "a former fellow" at the Institute for Advanced Study."

What's the difference between "a former fellow" and "a former colleague"?

"A former fellow" specifically refers to someone who held a fellowship, while "a former colleague" refers to someone you previously worked with, regardless of fellowship status.

Which is more formal, "a former fellow" or "an ex-fellow"?

"A former fellow" is generally considered more formal than "an ex-fellow", with the latter being more colloquial.

What are some synonyms for "a former fellow"?

Synonyms include "a past fellow", "previously a fellow", or "once a fellow", depending on the context.