in the preceding month

USAGE SUMMARY

"in the preceding month" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used to refer to the month that immediately preceded the present month. For example, "We saw a significant rise in sales in the preceding month."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Inclusion criteria are: (1) daily or occasional cigarette smoking (at least 4 cigarettes in the preceding month and at least one cigarette during the preceding week) and (2) ownership of a mobile phone.

BMC Public Health

In the preceding month, only 172,00 shares had been traded.

The New York Times

One in 20 parents, or about 3 million people, said they had smoked in the preceding month.

The New York Times - Style

The survey of 7,529 high school students, conducted last spring, found that 28.4percentt reported using tobacco products in the preceding month.

The New York Times

Counselors at one school in Mumbai told him that they had seen more than 50 visitors from different colleges and universities in the preceding month.

The New York Times

The department survey asks employers each month how many workers they have and how many left and were added in the preceding month.

The New York Times

While 9.4percentt of the young people surveyed in 1997 said they had used marijuana in the preceding month, only 7percentt of those surveyed last year said they had.

The New York Times

The average price in the preceding month was $58.

Forbes

UNHCR estimates that 93% of households [with a member that needed medical care in the preceding month] had to pay for healthcare and that the average cost of health care paid in the preceding month was US$1366.

Journal of International Humanitarian Action

I don't know if you saw the paper recently, but according to the Case-Shiller index it went down by another 1.5% in the preceding month.

Forbes

Findings: A lifetime history of attempted suicide was reported by 34% of subjects, 13% had attempted suicide in the preceding year and 5% had done so in the preceding month.

Drug and Alcohol Dependence

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "in the preceding month" when precision and formality are required, especially in academic or business contexts. It clearly indicates the month immediately before the current one.

Common error

Avoid using "in the preceding month" when referring to periods longer or shorter than a month. For broader periods, use "in the preceding quarter" or "in the preceding year". For shorter periods, use "in the preceding week" or "in the preceding day".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in the preceding month" primarily functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to specify the timing of an action or event. According to Ludwig, it serves to anchor events temporally.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "in the preceding month" serves as a precise temporal marker, denoting the month directly before the present one. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use. Its prevalence across scientific and news media contexts underscores its utility in formal communication. While options like "last month" offer brevity, "in the preceding month" provides greater clarity, especially in technical or analytical writing. Remember to confine this phrase to contexts involving a one-month timeframe to avert confusion. Using "in the preceding month" ensures clarity and formality in your writing, setting a specific temporal context for events or data.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in the previous month

Replaces "preceding" with "previous", a synonym, maintaining the same meaning.

during the prior month

Substitutes "preceding" with "prior", which has a slightly more formal tone.

last month

Simplifies the phrase to its most common and concise form.

in the month before

Reorders the words for a slightly different emphasis, but retains the same meaning.

one month prior

Uses a numerical quantifier to specify the time frame more explicitly.

the month immediately before

Adds "immediately" for emphasis on the direct temporal relationship.

in the month preceding this one

Makes the reference point ("this one") explicit, adding clarity in certain contexts.

the month just ended

Focuses on the completion of the time period.

in the course of last month

Slightly alters the focus to the events that occurred within the specified month.

the month that came before

Uses a more descriptive and less formal phrasing.

FAQs

What does "in the preceding month" mean?

The phrase "in the preceding month" refers to the month that occurred immediately before the current month. It's used to specify a timeframe in the past, often in reports, studies, and formal communications.

How can I use "in the preceding month" in a sentence?

You might say, "Sales increased significantly "in the previous month"". It indicates that the increase happened in the month before the current one.

What are some alternatives to "in the preceding month"?

Alternatives include "last month", "in the prior month", or "during the previous month". The choice depends on the context and desired level of formality.

Is there a difference between "in the preceding month" and "in the previous month"?

The phrases "in the preceding month" and "in the previous month" are nearly synonymous. "Preceding" is often considered slightly more formal than "previous", but they can generally be used interchangeably.