a preceding instance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a preceding instance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to an earlier example or occurrence in a discussion or argument. Example: "In contrast to a preceding instance, the current situation requires a different approach."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

A preceding minor respiratory infection is common.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Multiple other areas could have been addressed, as cognitions are also known to precede, for instance, mental health states like depression.

Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation

The use of the silent E, for instance, makes very good sense: scribes were trying to find a way of indicating a long preceding vowel sound: that gives us the difference between "run" and "rune".

The Guardian - Books

Dr. Elias said he would not necessarily expect such cases to be preceded by instances of beatings or other obvious warning signs.

The New York Times

Take the A, for instance.

The New York Times

Game makers, for instance, are accustomed to filling the months preceding a product launch with a groundswell of hype and preview events.

Forbes

If any sign must generate an interpretant in order to be a sign, and any sign is itself the interpretant of some further sign, then clearly, there must be an infinity of signs both proceeding and preceding from any given instance of signification.

SEP

Attempts to define the good (or what constitutes care in a particular instance) cannot "precede practice, but form a part of it" [ 1].

BMC Medical Ethics

Instances with a negative marker preceding 可 kĕ in general express the root modal (deontic) value of prohibition.

Lingua Sinica

Thus, there were a few sub-cases that never occurred (e.g., the gifted group never had an instance of 4 preceding cooperators in condition I, and the average group never experienced 4 preceding cooperators in condition III), and some of the comparisons between groups or amongst sub-cases were restricted only to non-statistical and heuristic inspection.

Plosone

The report, published in the current issue of the journal Sleep, found that chronic insomniacs woke an average of about 30 times a night, and that a brief respiratory problem — a drop in the volume of oxygen inhaled, due to a narrowed airway, for instance — preceded about 90 percent of those interruptions.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a preceding instance", ensure that the connection between the current situation and the prior example is clear to the reader. Provide enough context for them to understand the relevance.

Common error

Avoid using "a preceding instance" when you actually mean a subsequent or following instance. 'Preceding' refers to something that comes before, not after.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a preceding instance" functions as a noun phrase, where 'preceding' acts as an adjective modifying the noun 'instance'. It serves to specify a particular example or occurrence that came before the one currently being discussed.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a preceding instance" is grammatically sound and serves to reference an earlier example or event. While Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, the scarcity of real-world examples suggests it may not be the most common or frequently used phrase. Alternatives such as "a previous case" or "an earlier example" might offer greater clarity or be more readily understood. When using this phrase, ensure clear context to avoid ambiguity. Although categorized for analysis, its inferred tone lies between formal and neutral, as its usage depends heavily on surrounding context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a previous case

Replaces 'preceding' with 'previous' and 'instance' with 'case', implying a legal or formal context.

a prior occurrence

Substitutes 'preceding' with 'prior' and 'instance' with 'occurrence', emphasizing the temporal aspect.

an earlier example

Uses 'earlier' instead of 'preceding' and 'example' instead of 'instance', making it more straightforward.

a foregoing situation

Replaces 'preceding' with 'foregoing' and 'instance' with 'situation', suggesting a context of events or circumstances.

a prior situation

Synonymous wording which replace 'preceding' with 'prior' and 'instance' with 'situation'.

a related instance

Instead of chronological order, this indicates there's a relationship or similarity between the two instances.

a former example

Uses 'former' to emphasize that the example is from the past and no longer current.

a pre-existing case

Adds emphasis on the case already existing before another.

a historical example

Makes the instance explicitly related to history.

an inaugural occurrence

Emphasizes that the prior occurrence was the first or initial one.

FAQs

How can I use "a preceding instance" in a sentence?

Use "a preceding instance" to refer back to an earlier example or situation you've already mentioned. For example, "In contrast to "a preceding instance", the current case requires a different approach."

What's a simpler way to say "a preceding instance"?

You can use phrases like "an earlier example", "a previous case", or "a prior occurrence" as simpler alternatives to "a preceding instance".

Is it always necessary to use "a preceding instance" or can I just say "the previous instance"?

While "a preceding instance" is grammatically correct, "the previous instance" might be clearer and more direct, especially if it's immediately clear what you're referring to.

What is the difference between "a preceding instance" and "a subsequent instance"?

"A preceding instance" refers to something that happened before the current one, while "a subsequent instance" refers to something that happens after.