done so previously

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "done so previously" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to actions or tasks that have been completed at an earlier time. Example: "We have completed similar projects in the past, and we have done so previously with great success."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

The army has done so previously by using undercover units to abduct or kill them.

The New York Times

She assumed that she could also vote, and had done so previously, in 2012 and 2014.

The New Yorker

But it had done so previously, and it had the tapes.

The New Yorker

At least 60 officers who fatally shot someone this year had done so previously.

The Washington Post

However, Mr. Onsager said, if another company had wanted to buy T.W.A., it could have done so previously.

The New York Times

Every person listed above either announced they were being let go Wednesday or already had done so previously.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

This week, Trump again used Twitter to call for the death penalty in a case, albeit in different circumstances than when he did so previously.

The Washington Post

At the end of February, it announced a new Financial Services vertical, which has been designed to lure financial services companies to the cloud, companies which might have been reluctant to do so previously.

TechCrunch

The White House has said it is not monitoring Merkel's phone calls and will not do so in future, but refused to say whether it did so previously.

HuffPost

Writing at the time of the Grunwick dispute, Ambalavaner Sivanandan – the director of the Institute of Race Relations – questioned why the unions were supporting Asian workers when they had failed to do so previously.

Vice

Writing at the time of the Grunwick dispute, Ambalavaner Sivanandan the director of the Institute of Race Relations questioned why the unions were supporting Asian workers when they had failed to do so previously.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "done so previously" when you want to emphasize that an action or task has been completed before, often in a similar context or situation. It adds a sense of familiarity or precedent to the current discussion.

Common error

Avoid using "done so previously" when "previously" alone suffices. For example, instead of saying "We have done so previously in similar cases previously", simply state "We have done so previously in similar cases" or "We have previously done so in similar cases".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "done so previously" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb. It indicates that an action has been completed at some earlier time. This is supported by Ludwig, which identifies the phrase as grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

29%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "done so previously" is a grammatically sound and versatile construction used to indicate that an action has been completed before. As Ludwig confirms, it is correct. While suitable for various contexts, it appears most frequently in News & Media and Scientific writing. When using this phrase, remember to ensure clarity by explicitly referencing the action and to avoid redundancy. Alternatives include "done it before" or "previously completed", depending on the desired emphasis. The context of the phrase is important, especially with the word "so", it must be clear to what it refers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

done it before

A more concise and direct way of saying something was completed at an earlier time.

previously completed

Focuses on the act of completion, emphasizing that it happened in the past.

had done it already

Emphasizes the state of having finished something before a specific time.

accomplished beforehand

A more formal way of saying something was achieved ahead of time.

performed earlier

Focuses on the action being carried out at a prior time.

had done it in the past

Explicitly mentions that the action occurred at some point in the past.

executed before

A more formal synonym, highlighting the execution aspect of the task.

achieved in the past

Highlights the accomplishment aspect and its occurrence in the past.

undertaken previously

A more formal option, emphasizing the act of taking on or starting something.

completed at an earlier date

Specifies that the completion happened on a prior date.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "done so previously" to sound more concise?

You can use shorter alternatives like "done it before", "previously completed", or simply "already did" depending on the context.

What's a more formal alternative to "done so previously"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "accomplished beforehand", "undertaken previously", or "executed before".

Is there a difference between "done so previously" and "previously done so"?

While both phrases convey the same meaning, "done so previously" typically places more emphasis on the action itself, while "previously done so" emphasizes the timing. The choice depends on the desired focus in your sentence.

How to ensure clarity when using "done so previously"?

Make sure the context clearly indicates what "so" refers to. If there's any ambiguity, restate the action or task explicitly. For instance, instead of "We tested it and have "done so previously"", clarify it as "We tested it and have tested similar systems previously".