compared to formerly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "compared to formerly" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used to draw a comparison between a current state and a previous one, but "formerly" alone does not fit well in this context. Example: "Compared to formerly, our sales have significantly increased this year."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Our models indicate that the crust is ~ 5 km thinner beneath the northern Wilkes Basin, compared to formerly contiguous segments of the Delamerian Orogen in south-eastern Australia.

Tectonophysics

The wild-type Cel9A displayed a medium CMCase activity compared to formerly characterized cellulases from R. cellulolyticum, such as Cel9U, which is nearly sixfold more active than the L. phytofermentans cellulase on this substrate [ 25].

Biotechnology for Biofuels

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The seeming discrepancy for the remaining 70 CSEPs results from prediction algorithm changes, in the now used SignalP4.1 version, compared to the formerly used version 3.0.

BMC Genomics

Compared to individuals in formerly intact habitats, those in fragments may experience reduced survival and reproductive success, obstacles to dispersal and movement, and interactions with new species favored by fragmentation.

The New York Times

The cost-of-resistance hypothesis predicts that the relative fitness of naturally uninfected (and possibly resistant) animals should be lower compared to cured but formerly infected (and thus susceptible) animals in the absence of parasites.

Plosone

Taken our results together, it is obvious that some minor discrepancies in numerical genetic and environmental influences on cardiometabolic risk factors exist when our results are compared to those of formerly performed twin studies.

Cardiovascular Diabetology

It was concluded that predicted fatigue properties by the trained neural network model seem more reasonable compared to approximate methods, which were formerly suggested based on tensile material data.

International Journal of Fatigue

Compared to the rubric that was formerly used to assess similar writing tasks, the Rubric was intentionally designed to be more complex and covered a foreign assessment criterion (e.g., author's voice) to probe more discussion from the teacher-raters.

Language Testing in Asia

However, as reported above we did test for the distinctiveness of the island endemics as compared to R. rattus and the formerly ambiguous grouping of "hybrids", all of which tested as true R. rattus.

Plosone

Never married women were more likely to experience unintended pregnancy; 62% of them reported having had unintended pregnancy compared to 13%and26%6% of currently and formerly married women respectively.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Particular features of MP2 and the integrated map are improved resolution of group 5 (formerly G) and extension of homoeologous group 2 (formerly F) as compared to Barrett et al. [ 20].

BMC Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing past and present states, use clearer phrasing such as "compared to what it used to be" or "in comparison to the past" to avoid grammatical ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid directly combining "compared to" with "formerly" as it can create grammatically unsound sentences. Rephrase to ensure clarity and proper flow.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "compared to formerly" functions as a prepositional phrase attempting to draw a comparison between a current state and a past one. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it's not standard English. A clearer structure, like "compared to what it used to be", would be more appropriate.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "compared to formerly" is used to draw a comparison between a current state and a past one, but it is considered grammatically awkward and non-standard. Ludwig AI flags this phrase as incorrect. It appears rarely, primarily in scientific and news contexts. For clarity and correctness, it's advisable to use alternative phrases such as "compared to what it used to be" or "in comparison to the past". These alternatives provide more explicit and grammatically sound ways to express the intended comparison.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

compared to what it used to be

Replaces "formerly" with a more explicit description of a past state.

compared to in the past

Uses a simple prepositional phrase to indicate a past time frame.

in comparison to earlier

Emphasizes the comparative aspect with a direct reference to an earlier time.

relative to before

Uses "relative to" for comparison, combined with "before" to indicate the past.

as opposed to previously

Highlights the difference from a previous state using "as opposed to".

differing from its former state

Focuses on the difference from a past condition, using "former state".

in contrast to its earlier iteration

Emphasizes a change from a previous version using "earlier iteration".

unlike its original condition

Highlights the disparity from a beginning state, using "original condition".

contrasted with its historical status

Uses a more formal tone to highlight a difference from a historical state.

juxtaposed against its prior form

Uses a more literary and emphatic phrase to show a marked difference from a previous shape.

FAQs

How can I properly compare something to a past state?

Instead of using "compared to formerly", use phrases like "compared to what it used to be" or "in comparison to the past" for better clarity.

What are some alternatives to "compared to formerly"?

Consider using alternatives such as "relative to before", "as opposed to previously", or "unlike its original condition" depending on the specific context.

Is "compared to formerly" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "compared to formerly" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use more explicit and clear alternatives.

What's the difference between "compared to formerly" and "compared to what it used to be"?

"Compared to formerly" is a less clear and somewhat awkward construction. "Compared to what it used to be" is more explicit and grammatically sound, directly indicating a comparison with a previous state.