before we ordered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before we ordered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a time or situation that occurred prior to placing an order, often in discussions about decisions or experiences related to ordering. Example: "Before we ordered, we discussed the menu options and shared our preferences."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

As before, we ordered protein nodes in each of the four networks studied in decreasing order of degree and successively included more and more nodes in the hub set.

Plosone

I'd read it before we ordered.

The New York Times - Magazine

Even before we ordered, Carole, who has the calm and chipper demeanor of a veteran producer, leaned in seriously: "You know no one's going to the theater.

The New York Times

From his station in the back, he eventually splashed out nearly 20 small samples before we ordered our first bottle — a 2004 Agricola Cueso nero d'Avola from Sicily ($27) that was delightfully tart and fruity.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Waiting for you before we order a take-away" and "Locked out.

The Guardian - Opinion

Before we order Coupland has already navigated between these sentences: "I have not thought of Albania in a year.

The Guardian - Books

But before we order the tombstone, let's answer this: In this world of smart phones and tablets becoming our primary computer, are mainframe computers dead?

Huffington Post

We ordered pizza the night before that.

Huffington Post

We ordered a spicy tuna roll, but before we could order more the server was called away.

The New York Times

Daddy ordered a beer as soon as we were seated, and a second one before we had ordered.

Huffington Post

"The employers didn't want to negotiate before we were ordered back to work, and they still didn't want to negotiate after the 80 days," Mr. Evans said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase to provide context for decisions made or information received before committing to a purchase or action.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect verb tenses, such as "before we have ordered" or "before we were ordering", as these do not accurately convey the intended meaning of a completed action prior to ordering.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before we ordered" functions as an adverbial clause of time, modifying the main clause of a sentence by indicating when an action or event occurred in relation to the act of ordering. Ludwig AI shows numerous examples of the phrase in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "before we ordered" is a grammatically sound and useful adverbial clause of time, though Ludwig AI marks it as being used only in an uncommon number of contexts. It provides temporal context, indicating actions or events that occurred prior to placing an order. While suitable for various registers, it is commonly found in News & Media. When using this phrase, ensure that you are using the correct tense and that it aligns with the overall context of your writing. Alternatives such as "prior to our order" or "before placing our order" can be used for variety, depending on the desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to our order

Replaces the clause with a prepositional phrase using a more formal tone.

before placing our order

Specifies the action of placing the order, making the phrase more explicit.

ahead of our ordering

Uses a different preposition to indicate sequence, creating a slightly less common phrasing.

previous to the order

Employs a more formal and somewhat archaic phrasing.

before the order was placed

Changes the sentence structure to passive voice, emphasizing the action rather than the actors.

prior to the time we ordered

Adds a temporal reference, making the phrase more descriptive but also more verbose.

before we made the order

Substitutes "placed" with "made", a more colloquial alternative.

in advance of ordering

Uses "in advance" to indicate something done earlier, changing the emphasis slightly.

earlier than when we ordered

Emphasizes the time aspect with "earlier than", making the phrase more about chronology.

preceding our order

Uses a more formal and less common word ("preceding") to indicate what came before.

FAQs

How can I use "before we ordered" in a sentence?

You can use "before we ordered" to describe actions, discussions, or observations that occurred prior to placing an order, such as in a restaurant or for a service. For example, "Before we ordered, we discussed the menu options."

What's a simpler way to say "before we ordered"?

A simpler alternative could be "prior to our order" or "before placing our order", depending on the level of formality you desire.

Is it correct to say "before we had ordered" instead of "before we ordered"?

While grammatically correct, "before we had ordered" implies a more distant past or a sequence of events where the ordering action is further emphasized as completed before something else. "Before we ordered" is generally sufficient and more concise.

What is the difference between "before we ordered" and "after we ordered"?

"Before we ordered" refers to the period leading up to the point of making a purchase or request, whereas "after we ordered" refers to the period following that action. They describe opposite temporal contexts.