past occurrence

USAGE SUMMARY

"past occurrence" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to an event that happened in the past, for example: "The detective studied the past occurrences of the suspect before making an arrest".

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

In speaking about the embarrassing experience to the press, Mr. Welles said "The broadcast was performed as if occuring in the future and as if it were then related by a surviror of a past occurrence.

The New Yorker

The Huttonian proposal that the Earth has largely achieved its present form through the past occurrence of processes still in operation has come to be known as the doctrine of uniformitarianism.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Although cancer's current epidemiological landscape is fairly well known, its past occurrence and history seem more obscure.

International Journal of Paleopathology

Here we review to what extent the past occurrence of three fundamental aspects of forest conservation can be assessed using paleoecological data, with a focus on northern Europe.

Biological Conservation

Further detailed study is required to clarify the past occurrence of the TauL1-TauL2 inter-lineage hybrinizAeion in Ae. tauschii.

BMC Plant Biology

At the same time, the poleward migration model predicts the past occurrence of these basalmost angiosperm families in the Northern Hemisphere.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Instead, seismologists have focused on the less precise goal of forecasting the probability of a quake happening in a given period of time, based on past occurrences.

The Economist

However, a future disturbance event may be forecast based on time series data (i.e., records of past occurrences) and the event's probability of occurrence across a long interval.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Justice Teresi rejected a prosecution motion to preclude some of the expert witnesses the defense plans to call, and he ruled that "past occurrences involving certain defendants" -- presumably incidents in which the officers had fired their guns -- would not be admissible during trial.

The New York Times

But the Frairie des Petits Ventres is also aimed at bringing butchers and tripe-sellers back into fashion, at a time when industrialization of meat products, modern consumption habits and past occurrences of mad cow disease have deprived them of regular customers.

The New York Times

If past occurrences are any indication, everything should be just fine.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing trends or patterns, use "past occurrence" to refer to previous events that may influence future predictions or decisions. For example, "The analysis of past occurrences helped us to anticipate the market's fluctuations."

Common error

Be careful to use the singular form "past occurrence" when referring to a general instance or a single event. Use the plural form "past occurrences" when referring to multiple events or instances.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "past occurrence" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It refers to an event or instance that has happened in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its validity.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "past occurrence" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to refer to an event that happened previously. While Ludwig identifies it as valid, its usage is relatively uncommon, primarily appearing in scientific, news, and encyclopedic contexts. When writing, ensure that you are precise in differentiating between singular and plural usages ("past occurrence" vs. "past occurrences"). Alternatives such as ""previous instance"" or "prior event" may be suitable depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous instance

Replaces "occurrence" with a synonym and "past" with a similar adjective.

prior event

Uses a more general term for "occurrence".

historical incidence

Emphasizes the historical aspect of the occurrence.

previous occasion

Highlights the specific time the event took place.

earlier episode

Suggests a specific event within a series.

past case

Focuses on specific instances or examples.

former happening

Uses more informal synonyms for both "past" and "occurrence".

prior existence

Highlights the fact that the occurrence happened in the past.

earlier manifestation

Replaces occurrence with a term that suggests it became apparent or obvious

bygone incident

Uses a more literary or archaic term for a past event

FAQs

How to use "past occurrence" in a sentence?

You can use "past occurrence" to refer to a single event that has happened before. For example, "The study analyzed the impact of that "previous instance" on the environment".

What can I say instead of "past occurrence"?

You can use alternatives like ""previous instance"", "prior event", or "historical incidence" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "past occurrence" or "past occurrences"?

The correct form depends on the context. Use "past occurrence" when referring to a single instance. Use "past occurrences" when referring to multiple instances or events.

What's the difference between "past occurrence" and "recent occurrence"?

"Past occurrence" refers to an event that happened at some point in the past, while "recent occurrence" refers to an event that happened in the near past. The term "recent occurrence" implies a more immediate timeframe.