former task

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "former task" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a task that was completed or relevant in the past. Example: "In our meeting, we will review the results of the former task before moving on to the new project."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

For the former task, international firms with long experience of equity markets are piling in.

The Economist

Dr. Campbell, the former task force member, said the task force had recommended periodic anonymous surveys to ascertain the full extent of domestic violence.

The New York Times

"At long last, DSM 5 is correcting itself and has rejected its worst proposals," said Dr. Allen Frances, a former task force chairman and professor emeritus at Duke University who has been one of the most prominent critics.

The New York Times - Health

We refer to the former task as a comprehension task and the latter as a production task.

Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning

For example, the former task involves trade-offs such as choosing to maximize the code's accuracy or minimize its size.

Journal of Systems Architecture

Even though the task of emotion recognition has much fewer classes than the task of facial recognition, it turns out that the former task is more prone to over-fitting (Fig. 5).

Journal of Big Data

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

Earlier, the court published three emails between then head of news Ian Edmondson and Mulcaire, which prosecutors say show the former "tasked" the private investigator with phone hacking.

BBC

The Russian navy can again focus on the former tasks of attacking a potential enemy's aircraft carrier groups and protecting nuclear submarines long enough to launch their missiles.

Huffington Post

Additionally, as in the former tasks, the inferior frontal junction (BA6/8/44) and other frontal regions, namely the posterior middle frontal gyri/frontal eye fields (BA6/8), were bilaterally involved.

Brain

In this study, we evaluated how factors, such as complexity of the fracture, pre-trauma health status, time from trauma to definitive surgery, severity of injury, and job characteristics influenced patients' return to work, the ability to maintain the former job tasks, and the extent of leave of absence.

Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology

To utilize the large amount of data from real manufacturing section, enlarge data sources and enrich cutting data base for former prediction task, a novel identification method is proposed by considering stiffness properties of the cutter-holder-spindle system in this paper.

Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When contrasting two tasks, use "former task" to clearly refer back to the first one mentioned, avoiding ambiguity. For example, "Task A involved data collection; the "former task" was completed efficiently."

Common error

Ensure you use "former" to refer to the first item in a pair and "latter" for the second. Incorrect usage can reverse the intended meaning, causing confusion. For instance, avoid saying "The latter task was easier" when you mean the "former task".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "former task" functions as a determiner + noun phrase, modifying a noun to specify that it is the task previously mentioned. As Ludwig AI suggests, this phrase is acceptable and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "former task" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase, primarily in science and news contexts, to clearly refer to a previously mentioned task, often when contrasting it with another. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is to provide clarity and specificity. While phrases like "previous task" or "earlier task" can serve as alternatives, "former task" is particularly useful when directly comparing two tasks. Remember to use "former" to refer to the first item and "latter" to refer to the second item, and double-check these positions, as their incorrect usage can create confusion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous task

Emphasizes the temporal aspect, indicating the task that immediately preceded the current one.

prior task

Similar to "previous task", suggesting a task that took place before the current one.

earlier task

Similar to "previous task" but can refer to a task completed further in the past.

preceding task

Indicates the task that came directly before the current one in a process or sequence.

initial task

Focuses on the task that was first in a sequence or project.

first task

Emphasizes that it was the first task executed.

original task

Highlights the task as it was initially conceived or assigned.

past task

General term referring to any task completed at some point in the past.

task at hand

Refers to the specific duty, assignment or activity that someone is currently dealing with.

assigned task

Focuses on the duty which was conferred.

FAQs

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

Use "former task" to refer to the first of two tasks previously mentioned. For example, "We completed the initial setup and the data entry. The "former task" was more challenging than expected."

What's a good alternative to "former task"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "previous task", "earlier task", or "initial task".

Is it correct to say "the formal task" instead of "former task"?

No, "formal task" has a different meaning, referring to a task that is official or structured. "Former task" refers to a task that occurred previously.

What is the difference between "former task" and "previous task"?

While similar, "former task" is generally used when contrasting two specific tasks already mentioned, whereas "previous task" can refer to any task that came before the current one.