during the previous half

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "during the previous half" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a specific time period that occurred in the first half of a given timeframe, such as a year, semester, or project duration. Example: "The sales figures during the previous half indicate a significant increase in revenue compared to last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Beginning in 2003, the Chinese government paved more rural roads in a two-year span than it had during the previous half century.

The New Yorker

According to Fig. 14, variations of permanent crops to cultivated area and percentage of total cultivated area drained were not significant and the value of NRI was variable during the previous half of century due to many different factors such as greenhouse gases (Sauerborn et al. 1999), global warming (Michaels 1990), climate change (Muzik 2002), etc.

Applied Water Science

All subjects were lowlanders, without preceding altitude exposure during the previous half year, and none suffered from cardiopulmonary disease or was currently taking any medicines (eg, vitamins, cold cure, etc).

Clinical interventions in aging

Baseline characteristics revealed a possible imbalance for some variables (sex, number of years as a public health physician, specialist status, previous exposure to courses in critical appraisal and number of advisory reports written during the previous half year) (Table 3).

BMC Medical Education

During the previous half a century, some mysterious alchemy had been taking place in the breeding sheds of England.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Although Harvey threw his 92nd pitch of the game during the previous half-inning, it seemed obvious that Manager Terry Collins would let him hit.

The New York Times - Sports

But the city's impressive reaction to the attack has endeared it to the rest of the American people, many of whom had come during the previous half-century to regard New York as a godforsaken un-American place.The ceremonial meeting of Congress in New York on September 6th symbolised this change in the city's status.

The Economist

More than a third of those surveyed said that they expected to travel more for business during the next half-year than they did in the previous half.

The New York Times

That was hardly an extreme condition in light of the history of the previous half-century during which Germany alone had practically destroyed Russia twice, exacting a terrible toll.

The Guardian - Opinion

That is a percentage point higher than during the entire previous half century.

BBC

The 6th year students were in the hospital internship and all of them had the EBM course during the previous year (half of them six months and half one year before the evaluation).

BMC Medical Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "during the previous half", ensure the context clearly defines what 'half' refers to (e.g., half of a year, project, or term) to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "during the previous half" without specifying what timeframe is being divided in half. For instance, instead of saying "sales increased during the previous half", clarify by stating "sales increased during the previous half of the year".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "during the previous half" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or noun, specifying when something occurred. According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "during the previous half" is a grammatically correct and understandable prepositional phrase used to denote events that occurred in the first part of a specific period. As Ludwig AI indicates, it finds use across reputable sources, including news and scientific publications. Its level of formality ranges from neutral to formal, making it a versatile choice for precise temporal references. When employing the phrase, clarity is key, so always define the 'half' in question. While not as frequent as other temporal phrases, it is certainly acceptable and useful in many contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in the prior half

Substitutes "previous" with the synonym "prior".

in the first half of the preceding period

Replaces "previous" with "preceding" and uses a more formal structure.

over the past half

Replaces "during" with "over" and "previous" with "past".

in the former half

Uses "former" instead of "previous", implying a contrast with a later half.

during the preceding six months

Specifies the 'half' as a six-month period.

in the earlier part of the term

Uses a more generic term 'term' instead of directly indicating half, changing focus to any specified period.

during the first part of the year

Specifies the timeframe as a year.

earlier in the semester

Simplifies the phrase and is useful in academic context.

in the first semester

Contextualizes the 'half' as a semester.

during the initial phase

Shifts focus to phases of a project or process.

FAQs

How can I use "during the previous half" in a sentence?

You can use "during the previous half" to refer to a time period. For example, "Our profits increased significantly "during the previous half" of the year."

What is a synonym for "during the previous half"?

Alternatives include "in the first half of the preceding period", "in the prior half", or "over the past half", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "during the previous half" or "in the last half"?

Both are acceptable, but "during the previous half" is generally more formal and precise. The choice depends on the context and desired tone.

What does "during the previous half" mean?

"During the previous half" refers to the period covering the first 50% of a specified timeframe, like a year, project, or term, which has already passed.