before we sent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before we sent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a time prior to an action of sending something, often in a narrative or explanatory context. Example: "Before we sent the final report, we made sure to double-check all the data for accuracy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Before we sent our son there I decided to test out the food myself, as Hungarian cuisine is not the world's lightest.

The Economist

"Before we sent out the invitation, FirstConferences was getting 10 people signing up for the conference per day," Mr. Stevens said.

The New York Times - Tech

"Looking back on it," Mr. Quiñones said, "I think Walter and a lot of guys probably should have experienced a lot more of life before we sent them off to get their heads blown off.

The New York Times

"Exactly this line of thinking and these argument was looked into in depth before we sent the supplementary statement of objection.

TechCrunch

If another candidate were proclaimed an ambassador of the Roman Catholic church or of the South or of the Ivy League educated, wouldn't we insist upon knowing exactly what this meant before we sent the man to the White House?

Huffington Post

Sign up for the best of VICE, delivered to your inbox daily.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"We're redacting the last name and address before we send any letters on," he explained.

The New York Times

I want to see teeth before we send them out on their mission.

The Guardian - Books

"We've got to make sure he's healthy before we send him back out there," Girardi said.

The New York Times - Sports

"Before we send a man to prison, shouldn't we at least be positive that he's not rich?" June 12 , 2015

The New Yorker

"We get to hand them the license and say congratulations before we send them on their way to spend the rest of their lives together".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "before we sent", ensure the context clearly indicates what was sent and to whom. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens the clarity of your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "before we send" when the action of sending has already occurred. "Before we sent" indicates a past action, so ensure your tenses align to maintain grammatical accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before we sent" functions as a temporal prepositional phrase, indicating the timing of an event in relation to the act of sending. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use in describing actions taken prior to a dispatch.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "before we sent" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase for indicating actions or considerations preceding the dispatch of something. Ludwig's AI indicates its common use in contexts where providing context or justification is key. While the phrase itself is straightforward, ensuring proper tense agreement and clarity regarding what was sent is crucial. Consider alternatives like "prior to our sending" in more formal settings. Overall, "before we sent" serves as a reliable tool for structuring narratives and explanations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

prior to our sending

Formal rephrasing using a prepositional phrase instead of a conjunction.

before we shipped

Replaces "sent" with "shipped", implying a physical item.

ahead of us dispatching

Uses "dispatching" instead of "sending" and changes the sentence structure.

previous to our submission

Replaces "sent" with "submission", implying a more formal context.

prior to our mailing

Replaces "sent" with "mailing", implying a physical mail.

before dispatching it

Simplified structure focusing on the action rather than the actors.

before we shipped off

Adds the particle 'off', suggesting a more casual tone.

in advance of our forwarding

More formal, uses "forwarding" instead of "sending".

preceding our transmission

Employs a more technical term, "transmission", for sending.

previous to us delivering

Formally uses 'delivering' instead of 'sending'

FAQs

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

Use "before we sent" to describe actions taken or considerations made prior to dispatching something. For example: "Before we sent the package, we checked the address."

What's a formal alternative to "before we sent"?

A more formal alternative is "prior to our sending", which uses a prepositional phrase to convey the same meaning.

Is it correct to say "before we send" instead of "before we sent"?

The correctness depends on the context. "Before we send" implies a future action or a general rule, while "before we sent" refers to a completed action in the past.

What's the difference between "before we sent" and "after we sent"?

"Before we sent" indicates a time preceding the act of sending, whereas "after we sent" indicates a time following that action.