formerly worked at

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "formerly worked at" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate a previous employment position or organization where someone was employed. Example: "She formerly worked at a prestigious law firm before starting her own practice."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

They formerly worked at Bryan Cave.

The New York Times

Mr. Stern formerly worked at Gawker and Radar magazine.

The New York Times

Hervé Falciani, a native of Monaco who formerly worked at HSBC.

The New York Times

The chief executive of Group Lotus, Dany Bahar, formerly worked at Ferrari.

The New York Times - Sports

Linwood was appointed in 2009 from Yahoo and had formerly worked at Microsoft.

The Guardian

Joseph Pace, right, an owner of this innovative venture, formerly worked at Bouley and Petrossian.

The New York Times - Food

His clients in that lawsuit are four black women who formerly worked at Coke.

The New York Times

Both have backgrounds in prominent Manhattan restaurants: Mr. Hayden formerly worked at Aureole; Ms. Fleming at Gramercy Tavern.

The New York Times

"The money supply is too large," said Andy Xie, an economist based in Shanghai who formerly worked at Morgan Stanley.

The New York Times

He joined Mr. Ridge — who formerly worked at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia — on the farm on weekends.

The New York Times

The women, Jill Evarts and Shannon Green, formerly worked at Ms. Valliere's firm, Seldom Scene Interiors, in Nantucket.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's career history, use "formerly worked at" to clearly indicate a past employment position, especially when the person's current role is different.

Common error

Avoid using "formerly worked at" when referring to a current employment. Instead, use present tense verbs or phrases like "currently works at" or "is employed at".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "formerly worked at" serves as a verb phrase, specifically indicating a past professional association. It clarifies that an individual was previously employed by a particular organization or company. Ludwig AI confirms that it is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "formerly worked at" is a grammatically correct and very common expression used to denote a past employment position. As verified by Ludwig AI, it's frequently found in news and media contexts. When writing, use it to clearly indicate a previous professional role, avoiding confusion with current employment. Alternatives include "previously employed at" and "used to work at". The phrase serves to provide background information, establish credibility, and contextualize an individual's experience, maintaining a neutral to professional register.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previously employed at

Replaces "formerly" with "previously", emphasizing the temporal aspect of the past employment.

used to work at

Employs a more colloquial expression to indicate past employment.

was formerly with

Changes the preposition to "with", focusing on the association with a company or organization.

had previously worked at

Adds "had" for past perfect tense and emphasizes prior employment.

once held a position at

Indicates a past position at a specific place, highlighting the role.

earlier worked at

Uses "earlier" to specify the time frame of the employment.

historically worked at

Emphasizes the historical aspect of the employment.

before worked at

Uses "before" to indicate a prior work experience.

formerly on staff at

Specifies that the person was previously a staff member.

has experience at

Focuses on the experience gained from working at a previous place.

FAQs

How can I use "formerly worked at" in a sentence?

Use "formerly worked at" to indicate a previous employment position. For example, "She "formerly worked at" Google before joining Microsoft."

What are some alternatives to saying "formerly worked at"?

You can use alternatives like "previously employed at", "used to work at", or "was formerly with" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "formerly worked at" in formal writing?

Yes, "formerly worked at" is suitable for formal writing, especially when describing someone's professional background or career history. It clearly indicates a past employment.

What's the difference between "formerly worked at" and "currently works at"?

"Formerly worked at" refers to a past employment, while "currently works at" indicates the person's present employer. Using the correct phrase ensures clarity and accuracy in describing someone's employment status.