about two years previously

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "about two years previously" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a time frame that occurred roughly two years before a specific point in time, often in narratives or reports. Example: "The research was conducted about two years previously, leading to significant findings in the field."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Pre-DCIS mammograms that were taken on average about two years previously showed that the areas subsequently exhibiting DCIS were clearly dense at the time of the earlier mammogram, and this suggests that this relationship was not brought about by the presence of the DCIS.

Breast Cancer Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

As soon as I arrived I realised that I'd been there before –about ten years previously for a swimming-related party.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Highland etiquette forbade Daniel to tell me who fired the arrow, but he did say that he was a member of another clan, who lived far away and had a grievance of his own: about twenty-five years previously, some Ombal clansmen had damaged his village and killed his grandfather.

The New Yorker

Dales decides to investigate Exley's hometown of Macon, Georgia, and discovers that a boy with Exley's name had vanished about five years previously.

Wikipedia

about four years previously.

Angewandte Chemie - International Edition

In relation to external validity, we recruited from seven health regions across the province with many participants identifying themselves as of non-Canadian ethnicity; around half of the women were not born in Canada and almost 20% had moved to Canada about five years previously.

British Medical Journal

The E.C.B. said it would start giving banks loans for three years, compared with a maximum of about one year previously.

The New York Times

The European Central Bank said it would start giving commercial banks loans for three years, compared with a maximum of about one year previously.

The New York Times

Newton's drug use began after he left Bradford Bulls last July, but he claims he had heard about other players using the substance two years previously.

The Guardian - Sport

AOL had acquired Bebo just two years previously for $850m.

The Guardian

The company had been warned about the levels five years previously but failed to act.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "about two years previously", ensure the context clearly establishes the reference point in time. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures the reader understands the timeframe accurately.

Common error

Avoid using "previously" multiple times in the same paragraph when referring to similar timeframes. This can make your writing sound repetitive. Instead, vary your language with alternatives like "earlier", "prior", or "before that".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about two years previously" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause by specifying the time frame in which an action occurred. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is considered correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

32%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "about two years previously" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adverbial phrase for indicating an approximate timeframe of two years before a specific point in the past. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is correct and suitable for use in writing. While it appears across diverse contexts such as News & Media and Science, ensure to use alternative phrases if the context becomes repetitive. Consider that its formality is leaning towards neutral, being suitable for professional contexts. Keep in mind that it's beneficial to set a clear reference time to prevent confusion when using the phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately two years prior

Uses "approximately" for a similar level of precision, and "prior" as a synonym for "previously".

roughly two years earlier

Replaces "about" with "roughly" and "previously" with "earlier", maintaining the approximate timeframe.

around two years before

Substitutes "about" with "around" and restructures the sentence using "before".

two years ago more or less

Emphasizes the approximate nature of the timeframe with "more or less".

in the vicinity of two years prior

Uses more formal language to indicate an approximate time.

almost two years before that

Implies the timeframe is relative to another event, using "almost" for approximation.

something like two years earlier

Uses informal language ("something like") to indicate an estimate.

in the neighborhood of two years previously

Offers a more descriptive, albeit less common, way to express approximate time.

a couple of years prior

Uses "a couple of years" for a less precise estimate.

two years back approximately

Reorders the phrase and adds "approximately" for emphasis on estimation.

FAQs

What does "about two years previously" mean?

It indicates a time approximately two years before a specified point in the past. It suggests an estimated timeframe, not an exact duration.

How can I use "about two years previously" in a sentence?

For example: "The study was initiated "about two years previously", and the results are now being analyzed."

Which is more formal, ""about two years previously"" or "around two years ago"?

"About two years previously" is slightly more formal than "around two years ago", though both are generally acceptable in most contexts.

What are some alternatives to ""about two years previously""?

You can use alternatives like "approximately two years prior", "roughly two years earlier", or "around two years before" depending on the specific context and desired level of formality.