before that

USAGE SUMMARY

"before that" is correct and can be used in written English.
It can be used to refer to a time before some other event or action. For example: "I had done my homework for the day, before that I went for a walk."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This was before that.

Princeton University

But it had freedom long before that.

Forbes

And one before that.

The New Yorker

The April before that.

The New York Times - Sports

And before that came 1918.

The New York Times

And the Wednesday before that.

The New York Times

And five weeks before that.

The New Yorker

And the summer before that.

The New York Times

We were corresponding before that.

The New Yorker

And the month before that.

The New York Times

Actually, before that.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "before that" with specific time references for clarity, such as "a week before that" or "the year before that".

Common error

Ensure the "that" in "before that" clearly refers to a previously mentioned event or time. If the reference is unclear, rephrase to provide more context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before that" functions as an adverbial phrase, specifically a prepositional phrase acting as an adverb of time. It modifies a verb or clause by indicating when an action occurred in relation to a previous event. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Academia

6%

Science

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "before that" is a common and grammatically sound way to indicate that something happened prior to a previously mentioned event. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used across various contexts, particularly in news and media. While the phrase is generally neutral in tone, it's important to ensure clarity in pronoun references to avoid ambiguity. Consider using synonyms like "prior to that" or "previously" for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to that

Formal synonym, emphasizing the temporal precedence.

previously

Single-word synonym, more concise.

earlier

General term indicating a time in the past.

in the past

More descriptive and less direct.

up until then

Implies a sequence of events leading to a specific point.

beforehand

Indicates preparation or anticipation.

antecedently

Formal and less common synonym.

in advance

Focuses on the proactive aspect of doing something earlier.

heretofore

Archaic and formal synonym.

until then

Referring to a time up to a specific point.

FAQs

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

Use "before that" to indicate an event that occurred prior to a previously mentioned event. For example: "I finished my work. "Before that", I had lunch".

What are some alternatives to using "before that"?

You can use alternatives like "prior to that", "previously", or "earlier" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "prior to that" instead of "before that"?

Yes, "prior to that" is a correct and more formal alternative to "before that". Both phrases indicate that something happened at an earlier time.

What's the difference between "before that" and "after that"?

"Before that" indicates that an event occurred at an earlier time, while "after that" indicates that an event occurred at a later time. They are opposites in terms of temporal sequence.