before that hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before that hour" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a specific time that is earlier than a mentioned hour. Example: "Please make sure to submit your report before that hour to ensure timely processing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

You could weigh one of them before that hour was up, then wait a few minutes and weigh the other for the next hour-long time slot.

The New York Times - Sports

His wife has his password so he can't even log on to email before that hour.

TechCrunch

Lee's letter of 12 20 to Bragg5 shows that Paul had been to see him before that hour.

University of Chicago

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

If the line is true that "the darkest hour is just before dawn," let's hope that hour is right now.  3.

Huffington Post

Detectives from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said that hours before the shootings, Mr. Flinn lodged a complaint about a neighbor shooting his dog.

The New York Times

The police were also looking at reports that hours before the attack he posted messages on an internet chat site warning people to stay away from school.

The Guardian

Police officials said that hours before the recent violence erupted, the police had been at the club doing inspections as part of their continuing surveillance there.

The New York Times

She said that hours before he died of hospital-induced pneumonia he was "extremely cold", with "very thin inadequate sheets" half covering him.

BBC

It also emerged that hours before the murders, Tyson had been released after his arrest following a shooting on 7 April.

BBC

The Associated Press reported Sunday that hours before Davis announced her candidacy, Abbott and Davis traded "extremist" barbs.

Huffington Post

The Intercept reported that hours before his nomination as VP Kaine praised the TPP.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "before that hour", ensure the context clearly establishes the hour being referenced to avoid ambiguity. It's always good to specify time as 2:00 pm instead of that hour.

Common error

Avoid using "before that hour" without a clear prior mention of the specific hour. This can confuse the reader and weaken your writing. Mention time correctly instead of that hour.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before that hour" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause by indicating the timing of an event or action in relation to a specific hour. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

30%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "before that hour" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to indicate a time preceding a specific hour. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. While relatively rare, it appears in News & Media and Academia and serves to set temporal boundaries. For clarity, always ensure the hour being referenced is clearly defined. Common alternatives include "prior to that time" or "leading up to that hour", and as previously described, are often context-dependent. Remember to avoid vagueness by explicitly mentioning time and be aware of the register when choosing "before that hour" or another alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to that hour

Formal synonym, emphasizes the temporal precedence more explicitly.

earlier than that hour

Directly compares the timing, showing what happened sooner.

preceding that hour

Highlights the order of events, making it clear what came first.

previously to that hour

More formal, indicating something occurred at an earlier time.

leading up to that hour

Focuses on the events or period immediately preceding the specified hour.

in advance of that hour

Stresses preparedness or anticipation related to that hour.

in the time before that hour

More verbose, adding emphasis to the duration before the hour.

up until that hour

Indicates continuation of something until the specified hour.

before the arrival of that hour

Poetic and verbose, can denote something arriving as an event.

in anticipation of that hour

Suggests planning or expectation with the hour in mind.

FAQs

What does "before that hour" mean?

The phrase "before that hour" indicates a point in time occurring sometime earlier than the particular hour that has been referenced or is about to be referenced in the context.

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

You can use "before that hour" to specify a deadline or a condition. For example: "All submissions must be completed "prior to that hour"".

What are some alternatives to "before that hour"?

Some alternatives to "before that hour" include "prior to that time", "earlier than that time", or "leading up to that hour", depending on the specific context.

Is it more formal to say "prior to that hour" instead of "before that hour"?

Yes, ""prior to that hour"" generally sounds more formal than "before that hour". The choice depends on the tone and audience of your writing.