in the preceding semester

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in the preceding semester" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the semester that occurred before the current one, often in academic contexts. Example: "The grades from the courses taken in the preceding semester will be considered for the scholarship application."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

The students attended a 60-h general chemistry course and a 30-h biochemistry course in the preceding semester.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Of the students who participated in the study, 75% had missed one or more classes and 45% had missed three or more classes in the preceding semester.

BMC Medical Education

Of these students, 43.7% had missed three or more lectures and 14.1% (95% CI = 12.2-16.2) moreed more than 8 lectures in the preceding semester.

BMC Medical Education

We conducted analysis after dichotomizing class absenteeism in three ways: never missed lectures vs. missed at least one lecture during the preceding semester; missed less than 3 lectures vs. missed 3 or more lectures in the preceding semester; and missed at least 8 lectures vs. missed more than 8 lectures in the preceding semester.

BMC Medical Education

In the multivariate analysis, there was no association between student's age, sex, religion, and father's education level and missing at least one class in the preceding semester (Table  2).

BMC Medical Education

In this study, nearly half of the students, 43.7% (95% CI = 7.8-11.4) reporthatthey thad had missed three or more lectures and 14.1% (95% CI = 12.2-16.2) moreed more than 8 lectures in the preceding semester.

BMC Medical Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The additional security and the somber mood resulted, students say, from revelations about shared quiz answers, unearned grades and even bribes over the course of the preceding semester.

The New York Times

The primary outcome indicator (dependent variable) was self-reported class attendance during the preceding semester.

BMC Medical Education

bThis value is based on the GPA of each student as of the end of the preceding semester.

CBE Life Sciences Education

In the semester preceding the first semester of this study, the students subjectively rated their relative increase in knowledge of how to treat a trauma patient at 80%.

BMC Medical Education

In the preceding.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing academic papers or formal reports, use "in the preceding semester" to clearly refer to a specific academic period. This phrase is more precise than simply saying "last semester".

Common error

Avoid switching between past and present tenses when discussing events that occurred "in the preceding semester". Ensure that all verbs related to that time frame are consistently in the past tense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in the preceding semester" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun or verb by specifying the time frame in which an action or event occurred. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and usable in academic contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

83%

News & Media

17%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "in the preceding semester" is a grammatically correct and usable prepositional phrase, primarily employed to specify a past academic period. Ludwig AI analysis and real-world examples indicate its common usage in scientific and academic writing. For alternatives, consider "in the previous semester" or "during the last semester", but keep in mind that "in the preceding semester" brings a higher degree of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in the previous semester

Replaces "preceding" with "previous", a more common and slightly less formal synonym.

during the last semester

Uses "last" instead of "preceding", shifting the focus to the recency of the semester.

the semester before

Simplifies the structure, using "before" to indicate the temporal relationship.

in the prior semester

Substitutes "preceding" with "prior", maintaining a formal tone.

the semester immediately before

Adds emphasis on the immediacy of the preceding semester.

in the semester prior to this one

Provides a more explicit reference to the current semester.

during the semester just ended

Highlights that the semester has recently concluded.

in the semester that preceded this one

Uses a relative clause to specify the temporal relationship.

the immediately preceding semester

Reorders the phrase for slightly different emphasis, keeping the formality.

last term

Uses "term" instead of "semester", suitable in some educational contexts.

FAQs

What does "in the preceding semester" mean?

The phrase "in the preceding semester" refers to the academic semester that occurred immediately before the current one. It's used to specify a particular time frame when discussing events or data from that period.

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

You can use "in the preceding semester" to provide context for academic performance, research data, or any other information related to a specific term. For example: "The students' grades "in the preceding semester" were significantly higher than in the current one."

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

Some alternatives include "in the previous semester", "during the last semester", or "the semester before". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is "in the preceding semester" more formal than "last semester"?

Yes, "in the preceding semester" is generally considered more formal than "last semester". While both refer to the same time period, "in the preceding semester" is more often used in academic or professional writing.