called earlier

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "called earlier" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a previous phone call or communication that took place at an earlier time. Example: "I wanted to follow up on the conversation we had when I called earlier about the project details."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

Alma Powell, the secretary's wife, had called earlier.

The New York Times

Spitzer's staff had been surprised that the Clinton campaign hadn't called earlier.

The New Yorker

The prominent conservative cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda had called earlier for tough action against the protests.

The Guardian

Should they not have been called earlier and attempted to apprehend him outside the station?

The Guardian

An official said that he understood that Mr. Fish had called earlier and received an explanation.

The New Yorker

Liam Byrne, Britain's immigration minister, called earlier last year for "radical action" to manage the system.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

8 human-written examples

The mocking came after the prime minister called earlier this week for the Northern Ireland political parties to be invited to take part in the debates.

The Guardian

Since then, Mrs. May lost her parliamentary majority in a snap election she called earlier this year, complicating her already formidable task of negotiating Brexit.

The New York Times

The Senate sessions the governor called earlier this week were all to address legislation, and the Senate argued that this was an unconstitutional use of his power.

The New York Times

The meeting was called earlier this month by Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater to discuss ways of improving air travel in the face of a growing outcry from passengers.

The New York Times

Three senior members of her Congress party wrote a letter making the point her opponents have been making since a general election was called earlier this month: that somebody born in Italy is not Indian enough to be prime minister.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "called earlier" to refer to a phone call that took place on the same day or within a recent timeframe to maintain relevance.

Common error

Avoid using "called earlier today" if the context already implies the call occurred today. Redundancy can make the sentence sound awkward. Instead, simply use "called earlier".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "called earlier" typically functions as part of a predicate, indicating a completed action (calling) that occurred before the current time or another referenced time. Ludwig provides many examples of its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Academia

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "called earlier" is a common and grammatically correct way to refer to a phone call that happened at a prior time. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across various contexts. It's important to ensure clarity by specifying who called whom and to avoid redundancy in time references. Alternatives such as "contacted previously" or "phoned beforehand" can be used for variety. The phrase is most frequently found in News & Media but also appears in academic writing and general conversation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

contacted previously

Replaces "called" with a more formal term "contacted" while "previously" maintains the timing aspect.

phoned beforehand

Uses "phoned" as a synonym for "called" and "beforehand" to indicate that the call happened before a specific time.

reached out earlier

"Reached out" is a more general phrase for contact, which maintains the original meaning.

had a previous call

Rephrases the sentence structure to emphasize the existence of a prior call.

rang earlier

"Rang" is a more informal synonym for "called", indicating the call happened prior.

made an earlier call

Emphasizes the action of making the call at a prior time.

previously telephoned

"Telephoned" is a formal synonym for "called", and "previously" maintains the time aspect.

was in contact earlier

Focuses on the state of being in contact at a prior time.

communicated with earlier

Uses a more general term "communicated" to convey the exchange.

established contact previously

Expresses the act of setting up contact at a prior time, adding a formal tone.

FAQs

What does "called earlier" mean?

The phrase "called earlier" means that someone made a phone call at a time before the current moment or before another specific event being referenced.

What can I say instead of "called earlier"?

You can use alternatives like "contacted previously", "phoned beforehand", or "reached out earlier" depending on the context.

How do I use "called earlier" in a sentence?

You can use "called earlier" to indicate a prior communication, such as: "My daughter, a freshman in college, "called earlier" in the semester to report that she had gotten a high mark on an English essay."

Is it redundant to say "called earlier today"?

It can be redundant if the context already implies the call occurred today. In such cases, simply using ""called earlier"" is sufficient and clearer.