has previously played

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has previously played" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone has engaged in a particular activity or role at an earlier time before the current context. Example: "The actor has previously played the role of a detective in a popular television series."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He has previously played four Tests for Fiji.

The Guardian - Sport

The secretary of state has previously played that role.

The Washington Post

She has previously played a Jewish settler and an ultra-Orthodox Jew on stage.

The Guardian

Herriman has previously played influential and famous people of the 20th century.

The Guardian - Film

He has previously played down an incident in which a teacher "put his hand inside my shorts".

Independent

Jackman has previously played the angry adamantium-filled superhero seven times, his first appearance being in 2000's X-Men.

Independent

"A really good health system helps to dampen inequality and the NHS has previously played that role," he said.

Independent

That is up to Karnataka's government, which has previously played down concerns about mining, or to the judicial system.

The New York Times

The enhanced engram activity is fed back through centrifugal paths to intensify sensory input that has previously played a part in executing the planned responses.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Bristol duly conceded a string of early penalties and Steenson, an Ulsterman who has previously played for Rotherham and the Cornish Pirates, was quick to take advantage.

The Guardian - Sport

Henry has previously played Pryor before on stage, pretending to be him in his 1989 standup show Live and Unleashed, during a joke about meeting his comedy heroes.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has previously played" to highlight experience or prior roles, especially when this information is relevant to the current situation or discussion.

Common error

Avoid using "has previously played" when referring to an action that is currently happening or a continuous state. Instead, use present perfect continuous or simple present tense depending on the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has previously played" functions as a verb phrase, indicating that someone has experience or prior involvement in a particular role or activity. Ludwig examples confirm this usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has previously played" is a versatile verb phrase used to indicate prior experience or involvement. As Ludwig AI confirms, it functions to provide background information or establish credentials, predominantly in news and media contexts. Its neutral-to-formal register makes it suitable for professional and informative writing. Alternatives like "formerly participated in" or "once performed in" can add variety, but maintaining clarity is key. When using this phrase, ensure the context is clear about what was played, and avoid using it for ongoing actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formerly participated in

Replaces "played" with "participated in" and "has previously" with "formerly", suggesting prior involvement.

once performed in

Uses "performed" instead of "played", indicating prior engagement in some form of performance or activity.

had a prior role in

Emphasizes the person's past involvement in a specific role rather than just playing in general.

once took part in

Emphasizes the person's past involvement in a specific event or game, in more general terms.

has experience with

Focuses on the person's level of experience in a particular field, implying they previously participated.

previously was involved in

Highlights prior involvement in a more general sense.

has a history of playing

Emphasizes the prolonged or repeated nature of someone's prior engagement.

earlier was active in

Highlights prior activity or participation.

has competed before in

Highlights prior experience.

has prior engagement with

Highlights prior connection.

FAQs

How can I use "has previously played" in a sentence?

Use "has previously played" to indicate that someone has experience in a certain role or activity. For example, "The actor "has previously played" a detective in a TV series".

What are some alternatives to "has previously played"?

You can use alternatives like "formerly participated in", "once performed in", or "had a prior role in" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "had previously played" instead of "has previously played"?

"Had previously played" refers to the past perfect tense, indicating an action completed before another point in the past. "Has previously played" is present perfect, indicating an action that started in the past and continues to have relevance in the present.

What is the difference between "has previously played" and "used to play"?

"Has previously played" indicates past experience without necessarily implying it was a regular activity. "Used to play" suggests a regular, habitual action in the past that is no longer happening.