on the earlier date

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on the earlier date" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a specific date that occurred before the current date or another mentioned date. Example: "The meeting was scheduled on the earlier date to accommodate everyone's availability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

At the employees' request, the hearing took place on 19 December 2016 as their chosen Unison representative was not available on the earlier date.

The Guardian

The UNP will try to insist on the earlier date, and Mrs Kumaratunga may resume efforts to amend the constitution to abolish the executive presidency or, failing that, to give herself a third presidential term.Both sides in Sri Lanka's civil war have enough on their plates without either negotiating peace or taking up arms again.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

If PEG-IFN-alfa and ribavirin were discontinued on different dates, the earlier date was used.

BMC Health Services Research

The car is then scheduled for assembly, based on the earliest date that parts can be shipped.Car makers have all sorts of reasons to be interested in BTO.

The Economist

The second part is a supplement, worth what each worker's Social Security benefit will be on the earliest date he or she can start drawing the benefits, currently age 62. (Even then, the workers are joining Social Security three years early, so they qualify for just 80percentt of the full benefits they would get at 65).

The New York Times

Searches were conducted between January 20 , 2011and August 16, 2011, with no restrictions on the earliest date of the articles returned.

BMC Infectious Diseases

A person exited the study on the earliest date of the following: date of death, date lost to follow-up, or end of follow-up.

British Medical Journal

Cohort follow-up began on the earliest date of meeting all eligibility criteria and ended on the earliest of the date of death, loss of full coverage, or diagnosis of endemic mycosis.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Follow-up time started on September 11 , 2001 and ended on the earliest date of the following events: first OAD diagnosis, last FDNY physician visit, or September 10 , 2006

American Journal of Epidemiology

Eligible subjects were enrolled on the earliest date between 1 January 2001 and 30 June 2009 on which criteria for cohort entry were met.

Diabetes Care

We obtained information on the earliest date of admission (including a diagnosis of cervical lesion of any malignancy grade) from the HDR.

British Medical Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "on the earlier date", ensure the context clearly establishes the two dates being compared to avoid ambiguity. For instance, specify both dates within the same sentence or paragraph.

Common error

Avoid using "on the earlier date" without explicitly mentioning the later date or having it clearly implied in the surrounding text. Failing to do so can lead to confusion and require the reader to guess the reference point.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on the earlier date" functions as an adverbial prepositional phrase, modifying a verb or clause by specifying the timing of an action or event. As noted by Ludwig, it provides temporal context by indicating when something occurred relative to another point in time.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Formal & Business

7%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "on the earlier date" is a grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to specify a point in time that precedes another. Ludwig AI validates this phrase's correctness and its prevalence in both scientific and news-related contexts. While not exceptionally common, it serves a vital function in establishing chronological clarity. To ensure effective communication, it's essential to provide sufficient context to avoid ambiguity and maintain a coherent timeline for the reader. This phrase is found in reputable sources like The New York Times and British Medical Journal. Related phrases like "at the prior date" can provide alternatives without significantly altering the original meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the prior date

Replaces "earlier" with "prior", maintaining the temporal relationship but with a slight shift in formality.

on the preceding day

Specifies the temporal relationship more precisely to the immediately previous day.

on the former day

Uses "former" to indicate the first of two mentioned dates, adding a touch of formality.

sooner than the latter date

Emphasizes a comparison of two dates using the words "sooner" and "latter".

before the subsequent date

Focuses on the temporal order, emphasizing that it happened before another date.

ahead of the subsequent date

Indicates something occurring before a following date, replacing "on" with "ahead of".

on the previous occasion

Shifts the focus from a specific date to a past instance or event.

prior to the later date

Switches to using the word "prior" and emphasizes that it happened before another date specified as "later".

at the first opportunity

Changes the context to emphasize speed and taking immediate action. Meaning is now different.

on the initial schedule

Refers to an original arrangement, which may or may not pertain to a specific date.

FAQs

How can I use "on the earlier date" in a sentence?

Use "on the earlier date" to refer to a specific date that precedes another. For example: "The deadline was initially set for July 1st, but "on the earlier date", June 15th, the project was already completed."

What is a formal alternative to "on the earlier date"?

A more formal alternative is "prior to the subsequent date", which emphasizes the temporal order in a more sophisticated manner.

Which is correct, "on the earlier date" or "at the earlier date"?

"On the earlier date" is generally preferred when referring to a specific day. "At the earlier date" could be used, but it's less common.

What's the difference between "on the earlier date" and /s/before+the+later+date" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">before the later date?

"On the earlier date" specifies that an action or event occurred exactly on that specific date. "Before the later date" implies any time before a specified date, without necessarily pinpointing one particular day.