before I considered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before I considered" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing a thought process or decision-making that occurred prior to a specific moment or action. Example: "Before I considered the potential consequences, I made a hasty decision that I later regretted."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"Before, I considered that every victory means nothing for me without world record.

The New York Times - Sports

LEVINE: The first poets who mattered terribly to me came long before I considered publication.

The New Yorker

It took the best part of three years before I considered myself "recovered".

The Guardian - Opinion

Should we skip dinner and go see?" Even though I'd left my apartment fifteen minutes before, I considered it.

The New Yorker

I decided to wait until I had a secure position before I considered starting a family, but now I'm 35 and I'm still frightened to have children.

Science Magazine

If I hadn't gotten pregnant by accident, chances are it would've been a decade before I considered it.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Baker says, "I consider him a friend before I consider him an owner of a basketball team or my owner".

The New York Times - Magazine

There have been things that have changed, but we've got a long way to go before I consider it a renaissance.

The New York Times

I only let music on Skull Disco become available for downloading after it has already come out on CD, and even then I make sure that a couple of months have gone by before I consider releasing an MP3.

The New Yorker

"It's tempting to try to take advantage of this attention for my personal gain, but I want to make sure I set a high bar for myself and pay my dues before I consider launching my own career.

The Guardian - Music

"It would be rather frightening and would take some compelling justification before I consider this a sensible management practice," Harvey J. Goldschmid, an expert on corporate governance at Columbia University and a former general counsel for the Securities and Exchange Commission, said of Lucent's hiring of Baughman.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "before I considered" to clearly indicate a shift in your thinking or decision-making process. This helps the reader understand the evolution of your perspective.

Common error

Avoid overusing "before I considered" in overly formal contexts. Opt for alternatives like "prior to my consideration" for a more sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before I considered" functions as an adverbial clause, indicating the timing of an action or event in relation to a thought process. It modifies the main clause by specifying when the consideration occurred. Ludwig provides numerous examples of this usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science & Research

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "before I considered" is a grammatically sound way to indicate that an action or event happened prior to a period of reflection or deliberation. According to Ludwig, this phrase is deemed correct and usable in written English. It's most frequently found in News & Media and Science & Research contexts, with a neutral register making it suitable for both formal and informal communication. While generally acceptable, it may be beneficial to use alternatives such as "prior to my consideration" in highly formal contexts. Common errors to avoid when using "before I considered" include overuse in formal writing, where a more sophisticated phrasing might be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to my consideration

Replaces the conjunction and verb with a prepositional phrase using a noun.

before contemplating

Uses a gerund phrase instead of a clause.

previous to my thinking about

Replaces 'considered' with 'thinking about' and uses a more formal preposition.

until I gave thought to

Shifts the emphasis to the action of giving thought.

before it crossed my mind

Indicates a thought that occurred spontaneously later.

before I entertained the idea of

Focuses on the initial reception of an idea.

before I had a thought about

Emphasizes the lack of prior thought.

until I reflected on

Implies a deeper level of thinking than simply considering.

before I turned my attention to

Highlights a shift in focus.

prior to my reflection

Uses a noun phrase to convey the timing of reflection.

FAQs

How can I use "before I considered" in a sentence?

Use "before I considered" to indicate a point in time before a certain thought or action occurred. For example, "Before I considered the risks, I accepted the job offer".

What are some alternatives to "before I considered"?

Alternatives include "prior to my consideration", "before contemplating", or "until I gave thought to" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "before I considered"?

Yes, "before I considered" is grammatically correct and commonly used to express a sequence of events where consideration happens after a certain point.

What's the difference between "before I considered" and "after I considered"?

"Before I considered" refers to a time prior to the act of consideration, while "after I considered" refers to a time following the act of consideration. They represent opposite temporal relationships.