based on past experience

USAGE SUMMARY

"based on past experience" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It can be used whenever you want to express that something is influenced or determined by previous knowledge or encounters. Example: "The decision to hire a new marketing manager was based on past experience, as our previous hire had brought in successful campaigns for similar companies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The most common methods include selecting functions based on past experience, contrasting optimization from several experiments and finding the optimal parameters through cross-validation (Zhen and Fan 2003).

Financial Innovation

That estimate is based on past experience.

The New York Times

(Based on past experience, it is a big advantage).

The New Yorker

The warnings were given based on past experience.

The New York Times

Based on past experience, this wasn't like them at all.

The New York Times - Arts

Others even forecast deductions as a certain percentage of an order, based on past experience.

The New York Times

Moreover, she said, it was the correct decision based on past experience with medical emergencies.

The New York Times

"My prediction, based on past experience, is, we will work something out," Mr. Hannon said.

The New York Times

Still, "based on past experience, it's incredibly rare to see high-level officials prosecuted," he said.

The New York Times

The brain is able to compute trajectories based on past experience.

The Guardian - Books

There are also concerns, based on past experience, that the move to Manchester will prove temporary.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "based on past experience", briefly mention the specific experiences you are referring to, if possible, to add clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid making sweeping conclusions "based on past experience" if that experience is narrow or unrepresentative. Ensure your past experiences are relevant and sufficient to support your claim.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "based on past experience" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to provide the basis or justification for an action, decision, or belief. It indicates that prior events or knowledge are influencing the current situation. Ludwig provides numerous examples of this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

21%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "based on past experience" is a common and grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to justify decisions or predictions by referencing prior events. Ludwig demonstrates its frequent use across various contexts, including news, science, and formal business settings. While generally neutral in register, it's crucial to avoid overgeneralization from limited experiences. Alternatives like "informed by historical precedents" and "drawing from prior encounters" offer nuanced ways to express similar ideas. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, adding a rationale to a statement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

drawing from prior encounters

Focuses on the act of extracting knowledge from previous events.

according to previous knowledge

Highlights the role of accumulated knowledge.

guided by previous events

Emphasizes the directive influence of the past.

informed by historical precedents

More formal; emphasizes the influence of established patterns.

considering prior situations

Focuses on analyzing past scenarios.

relying on what we've seen before

Informal and emphasizes direct observation.

taking into account what happened before

A more verbose alternative, emphasizing consideration.

using historical perspective

Emphasizes a broader view of past events.

with the benefit of hindsight

Implies a clearer understanding due to time passed.

learning from yesterday

More metaphorical; highlights the learning aspect.

FAQs

How can I use "based on past experience" in a sentence?

You can use "based on past experience" to justify a decision, explain a prediction, or provide context for an action. For example: "The company decided to invest more in online marketing, "based on past experience" with previous successful campaigns."

What are some alternatives to saying "based on past experience"?

You can use alternatives like "informed by historical precedents", "drawing from prior encounters", or "according to previous knowledge", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it better to say "based on past experience" or "based on my experience"?

The choice depends on the context. "Based on past experience" usually refers to a broader set of collective or general experiences. "Based on my experience" is more personal and refers specifically to your own individual encounters.

What's the difference between "based on past experience" and "based on historical data"?

"Based on past experience" often includes qualitative observations and anecdotal evidence, while "based on historical data" implies a more rigorous and quantitative analysis of recorded information. Historical data is more formal and typically used in analytical or scientific contexts.