before he obtained

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before he obtained" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate a time frame or condition that occurred prior to someone acquiring something. Example: "Before he obtained his degree, he worked several part-time jobs to support himself."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

Carter made a mistake in announcing troop withdrawals before he obtained some concessions from the N. Koreans.

The New Yorker

On Friday, revelations that police may have missed a chance to seize the gun Duggan subsequently acquired, days before he obtained it, led to raised tensions.

The Guardian

He then studied mathematics at the University of Halle before he obtained a position as a professor of astronomy at Leipzig in 1816.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The patentee in that case was unprotected under the law in force when the patent issued because he had allowed his employer briefly to practice the invention before he obtained the patent.

Harvard University

Darius, before he obtained the kingdom, had had three sons born to him from his former wife, who was a daughter of Gobryas; while, since he began to reign, Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus, had borne him four.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

But that was still before he obtained the rifle used in the sniper attacks in June, the official said, noting that the Bushfield Company's records showed that the gun was not shipped until June.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

They say he must be confronted before he obtains the kinds of weapons of mass destruction that Mr. Kim already possesses.

The New York Times

In "President Makes Case That North Korea Is No Iraq" (front page, Jan . 1, you report that President Bush says Saddam Hussein must disarm or face military action and that his aides say the Iraqi leader must be confronted before he obtains the weapons of mass destruction that North Korea already possesses.

The New York Times

Before PhD, he obtained B.S. in Physics and Math from Tsinghua University, China, and Master in Physics from UC Berkeley working with Prof. Steven Chu.

University of California, Berkeley

Before that, he obtained his PhD on the detection mechanism of nanowire superconducting single photon detectors in the group of Dirk Bouwmeester and Martin van Exter in Leiden.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Merton [1] pioneers the study of corporate debt and equity value under the assumption that bankruptcy cannot be triggered before maturity, he obtained the value of debt and equity.

Journal of Inequalities and Applications

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider replacing "obtained" with a more specific verb to clarify the nature of acquisition (e.g., 'earned', 'received', 'acquired').

Common error

Avoid using "before he obtained" when the sequence of events is not clearly chronological. Ensure that the action of obtaining something truly follows the initial event described by 'before'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before he obtained" functions as an adverbial phrase indicating a temporal relationship. As confirmed by Ludwig, this construction is grammatically sound and common in English. It sets a time frame, signifying something happened prior to the subject's acquisition of something else. Examples show it being used in news, academic writing and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

35%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Science

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "before he obtained" functions as a temporal marker, indicating that an event or state preceded someone's acquisition of something. Ludwig confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and usable across various registers, with a neutral tone suitable for both formal and informal contexts. While commonly found in news and academic writing, remember to clearly define the 'he' and the object in question for clarity. To avoid vagueness consider using more specific words to replace “obtained”.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

before he acquired

Uses a synonym for 'obtained' with similar meaning.

before he received

Replaces 'obtained' with 'received' emphasizing the act of getting something.

before he secured

Highlights the effort to get something firmly.

prior to his acquisition

Focuses on the acquisition as a noun rather than a verb.

before gaining possession

Focuses on the act of taking possession.

prior to getting

Emphasizes the process of 'getting' something rather than the result.

before coming into possession of

More formal way of saying getting possession of.

in anticipation of obtaining

Shifts the focus to the anticipation of getting something.

previous to his attainment of

A more formal alternative, focusing on the achievement of getting something.

leading up to his receipt

Describes the events that lead to getting something.

FAQs

How can I use "before he obtained" in a sentence?

The phrase "before he obtained" indicates that an action or state occurred prior to someone receiving or acquiring something. For example, "Before he obtained his driver's license, he practiced in an empty parking lot."

What is a more formal alternative to "before he obtained"?

A more formal alternative could be "prior to his acquisition of". For instance, instead of "Before he obtained the award, he worked tirelessly", you could say "Prior to his acquisition of the award, he worked tirelessly."

Is there a difference between "before he obtained" and "after he obtained"?

Yes, "before he obtained" indicates that something happened prior to him getting something, while "after he obtained" indicates that something happened following him getting something. They represent opposite temporal sequences.

What can I say instead of "obtained" in the phrase "before he obtained"?

You can replace "obtained" with synonyms like "acquired", "received", or "gained" depending on the context. For example: "Before he "acquired" the property", "Before he "received" the grant", or "Before he "gained" access".