former know how

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "former know how" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "former know-how"? You can use "former know-how" when referring to skills or knowledge that someone had in the past but may no longer possess. Example: "Despite his former know-how in the field, he struggled to keep up with the latest advancements."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

As for luck, it affects the skilled as well as the unskilled; the former know how to maximise their good luck and minimise or avoid the bad.

The Economist

The only difference between successful people and the average Joe is that the former know how to manage their priorities.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"Former incumbents know how to raise money, they know their districts as well as anybody and they've been winners before," said Representative Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The New York Times

The former think the latter have no ideology ("petit-bourgeois/muddle-headed types"), the latter think the former don't know how to party ("insipid leftist culture").

The Economist

"As a former player, I know how hard it is to achieve success on the pitch and the suggestion that somehow Rangers sought to gain unfair advantage was deeply insulting to me and others who had worn the Rangers jersey with immense pride.

BBC

"As a former teacher, I know how important it is for our students to feel safe at school.

Huffington Post

"As a former prosecutor, I know how domestic violence and stalking can take lives and tear apart families," Klobuchar said in an email to HuffPost.

Huffington Post

He and his former coach Uschi Keszler know how rabid fans can get.

The New York Times - Sports

"I think they should take more because I was a former refugee and I know how that felt.

The Guardian

"Golly", he said to a colleague, or former colleague, "do you know how much money they gave me just to leave?" View Article By Miranda Carter By Amos Barshad By Jia Tolentino By Doreen St. Félix.

The New Yorker

As a former centre-back I know how reassuring it is to have two central midfielders working hard to cover the back four and both Joleon Lescott and John Terry will be in dreamland seeing Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard consistently shutting down attacks in front of them.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to past expertise, use the term "former know-how" or alternatives like "previous experience" or "past knowledge" for better clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "former know how" as it's grammatically incorrect. The proper form is "former know-how" or similar alternatives like "past expertise".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "former know how" functions as a noun phrase, but is considered grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. The intended function is to describe past expertise or skills. However, the correct form is "former know-how".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "former know how" appears in some sources, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI suggests using "former know-how" instead, or opting for alternatives like "previous expertise" or "past knowledge" for improved clarity and correctness. The phrase mainly appears in news and media contexts, but maintaining grammatical precision is crucial for effective communication. Always prioritize "former know-how" for accurate expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous expertise

Replaces "know how" with a single word, emphasizing skill.

past experience

Focuses on the experience aspect rather than specific knowledge.

prior understanding

Highlights comprehension gained in the past.

familiarity with

Emphasizes being acquainted with a subject or process.

knowledge of

Focuses on the possession of information.

earlier competence

Highlights a past ability to perform well.

skill set from before

Rephrases the idea of past skills using a more descriptive term.

expertise acquired previously

Highlights the attainment of expertise at an earlier time.

previous proficiency

Emphasizes a past state of being skilled.

past mastery

Highlights a past state of being highly skilled.

FAQs

What is the correct way to phrase "former know how"?

The grammatically correct way to phrase it is "former "know-how"". You can also use alternatives such as "previous expertise" or "past knowledge".

What does "former know how" mean?

It refers to the skills or knowledge that someone possessed in the past but may no longer actively use or maintain. A better way to say it is "former "know-how"".

Can I use "former know how" in formal writing?

It's best to avoid "former know how" in formal writing. Opt for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives like "previous expertise" or "past "knowledge"".

How can I replace the phrase "former know how" in a sentence?

Depending on the context, you can replace it with phrases like "prior understanding", "familiarity with", or "expertise acquired previously". Remember to use "former "know-how"" as the correct version.