before receiving

USAGE SUMMARY

"before receiving" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to show the order of events that happened before another event. For example, "I applied for the job before receiving a response."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He died before receiving them.

The Guardian

Training is required before receiving lab equipment.

Cornell University

She had symptoms for years before receiving the correct diagnosis.

The New York Times

Before receiving her medical training, Wicklund had an abortion herself.

The New York Times - Books

But he died that December before receiving it.

The New York Times

Both women visited countless doctors before receiving an accurate diagnosis.

The New York Times

They must wait for three years before receiving tax benefits.

The New York Times

Hernandez apologized to the Mets today before receiving his pardon.

The New York Times - Sports

Don't start digging before receiving permission from local officials.

The New York Times - Magazine

You can make yourself feel safe before receiving feedback.

Harvard Business Review

He even began his drive before receiving the pass.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "before receiving", ensure the sentence clearly indicates what action or event must occur prior to the reception. For example, "Complete the training before receiving access to the equipment."

Common error

Avoid using future tenses with "before receiving" when describing past events. Instead of "He will sign the contract before receiving the payment", use "He signed the contract before receiving the payment" or "He was to sign the contract before receiving the payment".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before receiving" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a temporal relationship. It specifies that an action or event must occur prior to the act of getting something. Ludwig confirms the correct and usable nature of this phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

33%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "before receiving" is a prepositional phrase used to denote that something must occur prior to the act of getting something. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts, including news, science, and academia. When using "before receiving", ensure clarity regarding the required prior action. Common errors include incorrect tense usage. Alternatives include "prior to obtaining" and "ahead of getting". The frequency of the expression is considered very common, so it is suitable for formal and informal communications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to obtaining

Replaces "receiving" with "obtaining", which emphasizes the act of getting something.

previous to acquiring

Employs "previous to" as a more formal substitute for "before" and "acquiring" instead of "receiving".

in advance of obtaining

Uses "in advance of" for emphasis on doing something beforehand, and "obtaining" for "receiving".

ahead of getting

Uses "ahead of" to indicate the temporal precedence and "getting" as a more informal alternative to receiving.

preceding the receipt of

A formal version using a noun phrase ("receipt of") instead of a verb.

until getting

Uses "until" to focus on the time leading up to the act of receiving.

before the acceptance of

Uses "acceptance" to highlight the welcoming or approval aspect of receiving.

prior to the arrival of

Focuses on the "arrival" of something before it is received.

sooner than getting

Implies that there is an urgency.

leading up to obtaining

Highlights the time leading up to the point of obtaining something.

FAQs

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

Use "before receiving" to indicate that an action must be completed prior to getting something. For example, "You must complete the application "before receiving" consideration."

What are some alternatives to using "before receiving"?

You can use alternatives such as "prior to obtaining", "ahead of getting", or "in advance of obtaining".

Is there a difference between "before receiving" and "after receiving"?

Yes, "before receiving" indicates something must happen prior to getting something, whereas "after receiving" indicates something happens subsequent to getting something.

Which is correct: "before receiving" or "prior receiving"?

The correct phrase is "before receiving". "Prior receiving" is not standard English. Use "prior to receiving" if you want to use "prior".