before you evacuate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "before you evacuate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where instructions or warnings are given prior to leaving a location, especially in emergencies. Example: "Make sure to gather all your essential belongings before you evacuate the building."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Prepare your flood response plan to take into account all of the time that you'll need to protect your home before you evacuate.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In addition, many of those left homeless from Hurricane Floyd's passage just weeks before were evacuated to shelters.

Wikipedia

Do your laundry and dishes now, before the power goes out or before you're forced to evacuate.

The Washington Post

Before you decide you will not evacuate, accept full responsibility for that decision.

WikiHow

Try to go the loo well before you get the call to evacuate.

WikiHow

This hole will be covered by your finger, then released before you are done inhaling to evacuate the rest of the pipe.

WikiHow

During a fire you want to get out as quickly as possible because the fire can trap or overcome you by the heat and the smoke before you get a chance to evacuate.

WikiHow

Shut off all utilities if you have enough time before evacuating.

WikiHow

You've maximized your tan," he said before urging residents to evacuate from homes close to the water.

The Washington Post

He went back inside to get sweat pants before being evacuated from the house.

The New York Times

He applied a tourniquet to his wrist and continued to radio for support and direct the operation before being evacuated.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "before you evacuate", ensure the context clearly defines who 'you' refers to, especially in public safety announcements.

Common error

Don't use "before you evacuate" in a way that suggests evacuation is optional. It implies an immediate or impending need to leave, so the preparatory actions must be relevant and crucial.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "before you evacuate" functions as a conjunction phrase introducing a subordinate clause that specifies the timing or conditions for performing an action relative to the act of evacuating. The subordinate clause provides a temporal context, indicating something that should be done earlier in time to the act of evacuating. Ludwig confirms this is correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "before you evacuate" is a grammatically sound conjunction phrase used to indicate actions that should be taken prior to leaving a place, often in emergency situations. Ludwig confirms that it is usable in written English. It's most commonly found in News & Media and Wiki contexts. Alternatives include "prior to evacuating" or "ahead of evacuation". When using the phrase, ensure clarity about who 'you' refers to and avoid implying that evacuation is optional. This phrase serves to instruct, advise, or warn, emphasizing the importance of preparedness and safety before an evacuation occurs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

before the order to evacuate

Specifies a moment in time when the authorities make the evacuation order.

prior to evacuating

Formal substitution, changes from conjunction to prepositional phrase.

ahead of evacuation

Emphasizes preparation time before an event.

in advance of evacuating

Highlights the preparatory aspect of evacuation.

in anticipation of evacuating

Focuses on expectation and planning for evacuation.

before being forced to evacuate

Highlights lack of decision in the action of evacuation.

leading up to the evacuation

Highlights the period just before the evacuation.

while there's still time to evacuate

Emphasizes the urgency and limited window for evacuation.

pre-evacuation measures

Highlights the steps taken before the evacuation takes place.

preceding the need to evacuate

Focuses on actions preventing evacuation.

FAQs

What does "before you evacuate" mean?

The phrase "before you evacuate" means to do something in preparation or anticipation of leaving a place, typically due to an emergency or mandatory order.

How to use "before you evacuate" in a sentence?

You can use "before you evacuate" in a sentence like: "Make sure to gather your essential documents "before you evacuate" your home".

What is a synonym for "before you evacuate"?

A synonym for "before you evacuate" is "prior to evacuating", which is a more formal way of expressing the same idea.

Is it better to say "prior to evacuating" or "before you evacuate"?

"Before you evacuate" is more conversational, while "prior to evacuating" is more formal. Choose the one that fits the tone of your writing or speech.