former school

USAGE SUMMARY

"former school" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
For example, you could write: "He remembered his former school with fondness."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Former school librarian.

The New York Times

Over the road is his modest, whitewashed former school.

The Economist

The next year, she was back in her former school.

The New York Times

The former school of thought is based on a misconception.

The New York Times

Two other congregations hold services in former school buildings.

The New York Times

It's a building that's been vacant for 11 years — it was a former school building.

The New York Times

He asked Mr. Matthies, a former school superintendent, what position he had held previously.

The New York Times

A former school inspector fluent in English and French, he began practicing Sufism in the 1960s.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Of his eleven former school classmates, only three remained in the village.

The New Yorker

She was a former school psychologist in nearby Valhalla and an outgoing, engaged parent and volunteer.

The New York Times

My father-in-law was a lifelong educator, a gentle Latin scholar and former school head.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about someone's educational background, use "former school" to clearly indicate a school they previously attended, especially when contrasting it with their current or future academic institution.

Common error

Avoid implying ongoing connections to a "former school". Be precise in distinguishing between past and present affiliations to prevent misunderstandings about someone's current role or activities.

Linguistic Context

"Former school" functions as a noun phrase, where "former" is an adjective modifying the noun "school". As Ludwig AI confirms, it denotes a school that someone attended in the past. It is commonly used to provide background information or context about a person's educational history.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Science

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "former school" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to refer to a school someone previously attended. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and correctness in written English. It is primarily found in news and media contexts, as well as in formal and business communications. When using this phrase, ensure clarity and avoid implying current affiliations if they do not exist. Alternatives like "previous school" or "alma mater" can be used depending on the context. Paying attention to these nuances will ensure precise and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous school

Replaces "former" with "previous", emphasizing the temporal aspect of being prior in time.

past school

Simple substitution of "former" with "past", maintaining the core meaning.

school attended previously

Rearranges the words while retaining the original meaning, offering a slightly more formal tone.

school I once attended

Use "once" in order to emphasize the temporal aspect of the phrase and make it stronger.

old school

Emphasizes the past nature of the school, potentially implying a nostalgic or outdated association.

bygone school

Replaces "former" with "bygone", adding a sense of something old or past.

the school I used to attend

Expands the phrase into a clause, providing more detail but remaining semantically similar.

alma mater

More formal term specifically referring to the school one has attended, often used with affection.

that school I went to

Colloquial phrasing that points to a specific school in the past.

my school of yesteryear

A more literary and evocative way to refer to a school from the past.

FAQs

How do I use "former school" in a sentence?

You can use "former school" to refer to a school someone attended in the past. For example, "He visited his "former school" during the alumni reunion."

What can I say instead of "former school"?

You can use alternatives like "previous school", "past school", or "alma mater" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "former school" or "previously school"?

"Former school" is correct. "Previously" is an adverb and doesn't fit grammatically before the noun "school". Use "former" as an adjective to correctly describe the school attended in the past.

What's the difference between "former school" and "old school"?

"Former school" refers specifically to a school someone attended in the past. "Old school" can refer to a school that is old, but more often it describes a traditional or outdated approach or method.