it was previous

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was previous" is not correct in standard written English.
It is unclear and does not convey a complete thought, as "previous" typically requires a noun to modify. Example: "It was previous to the meeting that we discussed the agenda."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

It was previous contact with the police, and that's the problem that we need to tackle".

The Guardian

"I have been advised that the terror alert level in Queensland, particularly for our police, remains at high – as it was previous to this harrowing news," she said.

The Guardian

It was previous thought that the game would be some form of prequel, starring a younger incarnation of Red Dead Redemption hero, John Marston.

The Guardian - Tech

Whether it was previous failures in arts programming, independent commissioning or accountability, current failures in impartially investigating and upholding journalistic standards or potential future failures in keeping the juggernaut on track, the governors have lost control of the BBC, he argued.

The Guardian

It was previous coach Gerard Houllier's decision to pick Vercoutre for last season's League Cup final against Bordeaux because he had played all the way through the competition, which effectively ended his Lyon reign - Vercoutre was at fault for the goal which lost the game, and president Jean-Michel Aulas never forgave Houllier.

The Guardian - Sport

The preparation of a semi-synthetic hydrogel based on poly N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-diethylene glycol diacrylate) inserted onto a collagen poly N-isopropyl it was previous presented.

Composites Part B: Engineering

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

In later years, it was syndicated on several of its cable sibling networks, including Slice, DTour, and TVTropolis, it's previous incarnation.

Wikipedia

If it's previous experience in a customer-facing role, emphasise that instead.

The Guardian

"If anything is to blame for tight margins, it's previous governments' history of incoherent energy policy," said Paul Massara, former CEO of "big six" energy company RWE npower.

The Guardian

That's down from it's previous estimate of 1.3%.

Forbes

It's previous incarnation as a Facebook app shows through clearly in the new site's design.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace the incorrect phrase with alternatives like "it was earlier", "it was prior", or "it used to be" for better clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "it was previous" as it lacks grammatical correctness. The word "previous" typically needs a noun to modify, or should be used adverbially as "previously."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was previous" is grammatically incorrect. Previous typically requires a noun to modify, or it needs to be used adverbially as previously. Ludwig AI flags this phrase as incorrect due to its lack of standard grammatical structure.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

50%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was previous" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. Ludwig AI identifies it as non-standard English. Instead, use alternatives like "it was earlier" or "it was previously" to convey the intended meaning clearly and correctly. Ensure that the tense and word usage are appropriate for the context to maintain clarity and professionalism in your writing. While the phrase appears in some contexts like news and science, its low frequency and incorrect grammar make it a poor choice for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was earlier

Replaces "previous" with "earlier" for better grammatical flow.

it was prior

Substitutes "previous" with "prior" to achieve a similar meaning but with enhanced clarity.

it had been previous

Adds "had been" to correct the tense and improve grammatical structure.

it was formerly

Uses "formerly" to indicate a past state or condition more directly.

it was previously

Incorporates the adverb "previously" to modify the verb more appropriately.

it used to be

Employs a common idiomatic expression to convey a past state.

it was in the past

Rephrases to explicitly mention the past, providing context.

it was the case before

Specifies that something was true or occurred before a certain point.

it was like that before

Uses a more conversational tone to indicate a prior condition.

it had previously been

Further clarifies the past state with additional grammatical precision.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "it was previous"?

Instead of "it was previous", you can use phrases like "it was earlier", "it was prior", or "it was previously" depending on the context.

Why is "it was previous" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "it was previous" is not grammatically correct because "previous" requires a noun to modify. It's better to use an adverb like "previously" or rephrase the sentence for clarity.

How can I use "previously" correctly in a sentence?

Use "previously" as an adverb to modify a verb, for example: "It was "previously reported" that the meeting was postponed."

What's the difference between "it was previous" and "it was previously"?

"It was previous" is grammatically incorrect. "It was previously" is the correct form, using "previously" as an adverb to describe how something occurred in the past.