before they arrived

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before they arrived" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe an event or action that happened before something else. For example: We had already had dinner before they arrived.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

However, some packets are dropped before they arrived at destinations.

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications

Both coaches had great records before they arrived.

The New York Times - Sports

Few had any musical knowledge before they arrived.

The New York Times - Arts

But before they arrived, the suspect had left for Enfield.

Independent

It would be eight minutes before they arrived.

The New York Times

I also scouted out the area before they arrived.

The New York Times

But before they arrived we found ourselves with company.

The Guardian

"Both of my parents knew Hebrew before they arrived in Palestine," he said.

The New Yorker

Before they arrived in New Hampshire, he said, "We fell in love".

The New York Times

But just before they arrived, the couple's lawyers heard the news from the Supreme Court.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

"There really was nothing like it before they arrived.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "before they arrived" to clearly establish a sequence of events, ensuring the action described happened prior to their arrival. For example, "The package was intercepted "before they arrived" at their homes."

Common error

Avoid using "before they arrived" when you mean "when they arrived". "Before" indicates something happened earlier than the arrival, not concurrent with it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before they arrived" functions as a temporal prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or clause to specify when an action occurred in relation to the arrival of a group. Ludwig examples show diverse usage, from actions taken to preparations made.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Science

13%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "before they arrived" is a versatile temporal prepositional phrase widely used to establish chronological order. Ludwig AI indicates its grammatical correctness and frequent occurrence across diverse contexts such as news reports, scientific articles, and academic papers. Its neutral register makes it suitable for both formal and informal communication. To ensure clarity, avoid confusing it with phrases that imply simultaneity, and use it to precisely denote actions preceding an arrival. Alternatives like "prior to their arrival" or "ahead of their presence" can add nuance depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to their arrival

Replaces "before" with "prior to", creating a slightly more formal tone.

ahead of their presence

Uses a simpler structure with "ahead of" to indicate what happened before "their presence".

in advance of their coming

Substitutes "arrived" with "coming" and uses "in advance of" for "before", altering the phrasing.

previous to their getting here

More colloquial alternative, replacing "arrived" with "getting here".

leading up to their appearance

Emphasizes the events that transpired before their presence.

preceding their entrance

Replaces "arrived" with "entrance" and "before" with "preceding", making it more formal.

in anticipation of their coming

Highlights the expectation surrounding their arrival.

antecedent to their reaching

Uses more formal vocabulary like "antecedent" and "reaching".

until they got there

Expresses a duration leading up to the moment of arrival.

up until their reaching the destination

Specifies the completion of a journey before arrival.

FAQs

How can I use "before they arrived" in a sentence?

Use "before they arrived" to indicate that an action or event occurred prior to the arrival of a specific group or entity. For instance, "The police were called, but he'd fled "before they arrived"."

What phrases are similar to "before they arrived"?

Alternatives include "prior to their arrival", "ahead of their presence", or "previous to their getting here" depending on the context and desired formality.

Is it correct to say "prior to them arriving" instead of "before they arrived"?

While "before they arrived" is generally more common and straightforward, "prior to them arriving" is grammatically correct, although it's often perceived as more formal. It's important to choose the phrasing that best fits the overall tone of your writing.

What's the difference between "before they arrived" and "after they left"?

"Before they arrived" indicates the time period leading up to their arrival, whereas "after they left" refers to the time period following their departure. They describe opposite temporal relationships.