former text

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "former text" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a text that was previously mentioned or is no longer current. Example: "In the analysis, we will compare the former text with the revised version to highlight the changes made."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The effect of computer use was stronger for literary than for informational texts, and only for the former text type was the effect significant.

Large-scale Assessments in Education

This discourse of Rama also appears in Tulsidas's Ramacharitamanasa, but it is curtailed to just two verses and is possibly borrowed from the former text.

Wikipedia

In the third edition of The Discovery (1640), however, Wilkins provides a summary of Godwin's book, and later in Mercury (1641) he comments on The Man in the Moone and Nuncius Inanimatus, saying that "the former text could be used to unlock the secrets of the latter".

Wikipedia

You're going to substitute the former text string for the latter using the awk command.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

He didn't want to sell it," the friend said, adding that Zolotovsky had sent his former partner text messages stating: "You'll never have this house".

The Guardian

In the case of the former, the text has been modified to include "erotic content," noting basically that now an app's content can't be "erotic" in order to promote pornography.

TechCrunch

Introduction 2 nd paragraph, 1 st sentence: 'Modular marine invertebrates …. tend to aggregate after release' is redundant to the former introduction text.

F1000Research

Importantly, the level of polymorphism obtained by simulating 1,000 characters under a model with parameters estimated from the data is significantly different from the distribution generated with model 2x (forward = 1.17 × 10−, backward = 5.80 × 10−), mainly due to the large variance of the former (Kolmogorov Smirnov text, D = 0.2352, P value < 0.001, table 1).

Genome Biology and Evolution

Joyce took particular issue with the news last week that the English literature GCSE would effectively exclude former set texts such as Of Mice And Men and To Kill a Mockingbird, as it takes a new focus on "modern works from Britain" as opposed to "prose from different cultures".

The Guardian - Books

Esquire magazine in the US and Wallpaper* in Europe have done "augmented reality" editions, with Robert Downey Jr coming to life on the cover of the former, and AR text providing videos and animation in the latter.

The Guardian - Tech

How's — how's your kid?" There follows a series of questions and answers, with the former presented as text onscreen — generic placeholders: Q. Insert question about the inspiration for this record. A. I saw a woman alone in her car singing along to "Great Balls of Fire," and I wanted to make a record that would prevent that from ever happening again.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "former text", ensure it's clear which text you are referring to, especially if multiple texts have been mentioned. Use it to avoid repetition and maintain clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "former text" if it's ambiguous which text you're referencing. If there's any doubt, restate the specific text to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "former text" functions as a noun phrase, where "former" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "text". It specifies which text is being referred to, particularly in relation to another text. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "former text" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English, although its frequency is rare. As Ludwig highlights, it is used to refer to a previously mentioned text, helping to differentiate it from another text under discussion. While versatile enough for neutral contexts like news articles, scientific papers, or wikis, it is important to ensure clear reference to avoid ambiguity. Consider alternatives like "previous text" or "earlier text" based on the nuance you intend to convey. In essence, using "former text" is a reliable way to indicate a text's prior mention, promoting clarity and conciseness in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous text

Replaces "former" with "previous", emphasizing the text's prior existence.

earlier text

Substitutes "former" with "earlier", highlighting the text's position in a sequence.

original text

Emphasizes the text's initial or unaltered state.

initial text

Highlights the text's role as a starting point or first version.

preceding text

Focuses on the text that comes immediately before another.

aforementioned text

Formally refers back to a text already mentioned.

cited text

Highlights that text was previously cited.

the text mentioned before

More explicitly indicates the text was referenced earlier.

the text in question

Singles out a text that is under discussion or consideration.

the text at hand

It refers to a document, piece of writing, or passage that is immediately being discussed or considered.

FAQs

How can I use "former text" in a sentence?

You can use "former text" to refer to a piece of writing mentioned previously. For example, "In our analysis, we contrasted the current draft with the "former text" to highlight revisions."

What's an alternative to using "former text"?

Alternatives include "previous text", "earlier text", or "original text" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "former text" in formal writing?

Yes, "former text" is appropriate in formal writing as long as the reference is clear. However, in very formal contexts, consider "previous text" or "aforementioned text" for added precision.

When should I avoid using "former text"?

Avoid using "former text" when the reference might be unclear to the reader. If multiple texts have been mentioned, be specific or rephrase to avoid ambiguity. It is also not adequate if more than 2 texts were presented, because the term "former" suggests a clear order of 2.