not long before that

USAGE SUMMARY

"not long before that" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that happened relatively recently, for example: I had lived in the city for a few months, not long before that I had been living in the countryside.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

Not long before that was the gang rape and murder of 17-year-old Anene Booysen.

The Guardian

Not long before that, Ms. Pierre said, Ms. St. Fleur had asked her to sign papers relinquishing her parental rights.

The New York Times

Mrs. Tomlin's husband, a middle-age civil servant, had come home from work one day not long before that fateful April 19 and joked with her that he had been promoted to an office with a window, that he was somebody now.

The New York Times

Especially since he had actually come close to running for president not long before that.

Huffington Post

Not long before that march in Cambodia, a girl was kidnapped and was being transported into the city.

Huffington Post

After all, it's been only relatively recently that marriage has become marginally less prejudicial than it's been at times in the past, and not long before that was the discursive binary of hetero/homosexuality popularized, so there is absolutely no reason to invoke "nature" here, nor is there a need to concretize acts of sex and intimacy into identity, and identity into institution.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

Most of all he was a dreamer, and often the dreams got in the way of reality, and it wasn't long before that led to hurt.

The New York Times - Arts

And it was not long before, in 1596, that Shakespeare received a coat of arms from the College of Arms, making him at least a legal gentleman.

The New Yorker

Not long before, it had seemed that the fire would pass the town by.

The New Yorker

It isn't long before that temple of scientific rationalism goes kablooey.

The New York Times

It isn't long before that old saying "count your blessings" no longer works at Theaterfest.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "not long before that" ensure there is an identifiable reference point (e.g. a date, time or event) to which 'that' clearly refers.

Common error

Avoid using "not long before that" without clearly establishing the 'that' being referenced. This can lead to confusion and weaken the clarity of your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not long before that" serves as an adverbial phrase of time. It functions to establish a temporal relationship between two events, indicating that one event occurred shortly before another. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Science

16%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "not long before that" is a versatile and commonly used temporal phrase. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and appropriate for various writing contexts. This phrase helps establish clear temporal connections between events, indicating that one occurred shortly before the other. While maintaining a generally neutral register, "not long before that" appears most frequently in news and media, demonstrating its widespread applicability for reporting events in a clear and sequential manner. To maximize clarity, always ensure 'that' has a clear antecedent. Use this phrase to add precision and sequencing to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shortly prior to that

Emphasizes the brevity of the time interval.

just before that

Highlights the immediacy of the preceding event.

immediately preceding that

Formal and emphasizes direct succession.

in the period just preceding that

More descriptive and emphasizes a period.

in the time leading up to that

Focuses on the period before the event.

not long ago

More general and less directly tied to a specific reference point.

in the recent past

General reference to a time in the past.

a while back

Informal and indicates an unspecified time ago.

previously

Simple and direct reference to an earlier time.

earlier on

Informal and indicates a point in time before the current one.

FAQs

How can I use "not long before that" in a sentence?

Use "not long before that" to indicate that an event occurred in the recent past relative to another event you've already mentioned. For example, "The company launched a new product. "Not long before that", they had secured a major investment."

What's the difference between "not long before that" and "recently"?

"Recently" is more general, referring to the near past. "Not long before that" connects two specific events, highlighting the short time between them. It creates a more direct temporal link.

What can I say instead of "not long before that"?

You can use alternatives like "shortly prior to that", "just before that", or "in the recent past" depending on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

Is "not long before that" formal or informal?

"Not long before that" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. While not overly formal, it maintains a level of professionalism suitable for news, business, and general writing.