preceding letter

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "preceding letter" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a letter that comes before another letter in a sequence or context, such as in a document or correspondence. Example: "Please refer to the preceding letter for details regarding the meeting schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

In the preceding letter, we detailed the discovery of clinical candidate PF-04693627, a potent mPGES-1 inhibitor possessing a novel benzoxazole structure.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters

Leibniz had mentioned both of these points in his immediately preceding letter (LA, 64 66, 58).

SEP

These are not published in the version given in O. R., 46, part 1, p619, though Grant's polite conclusion to the preceding letter is printed. 2 Colonel Marshall, in his Appomattox, 7, said there was some difference of opinion among officers as to what the answer should be.

University of Chicago

NOTE: The preceding letter was written at the request of my daughter's teacher, whose name has been changed for anonymity, so that she could have something in hand when taking my concerns, with which she agrees, to her superiors.

Huffington Post

Punctuation is more frequent, usually on a level with the top of the preceding letter, while a vacant space, proportionate to the break in the sense, follows the end of a paragraph.

Wikipedia

For the 1-back condition [low working memory (WM) load], they were instructed to press a response button, whenever a letter presented on a screen was identical to the preceding letter.

Human Brain Mapping

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

As later letters appeared, preceding letters faded and disappeared.

Brain and Language

Sometimes I could have used, in the notes preceding each letter, some additional bit of information about the recipient or the circumstances of writing.

Los Angeles Times

Dive numbers preceded by letter "A" are HOV Alvin dives.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

In the 'Predicted substitution' column, the letter preceding the amino acid position refers to the reference HPV16 sequence and the letter after it refer to the substitution.

BMC Infectious Diseases

At the beginning of the call, Musk said he was going to "try to answer as many questions as possible" and "we're going to go as long as there are good questions to answer". In a letter preceding the call, Tesla had said it expected to generate cash and profit in the third and fourth quarters if it executes its plans to increase output.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a "preceding letter" in formal correspondence, ensure that the context clearly establishes which letter is being referenced to avoid ambiguity. Provide a date or specific detail if necessary.

Common error

Avoid assuming the reader knows exactly which "preceding letter" you're referring to. Always provide enough context or a specific identifier to eliminate any potential confusion, especially if multiple letters have been exchanged.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "preceding letter" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as an adjective modifying another noun to specify a particular letter in a sequence. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

Academia

22%

News & Media

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "preceding letter" is grammatically correct and functions as a noun phrase to refer to a letter that comes before the current one in a sequence. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is accurate and acceptable in written English. While alternatives like "previous letter" or "earlier letter" exist, "preceding letter" is commonly used in scientific, academic, and professional contexts. To ensure clarity, always provide sufficient context when using this phrase. Although not extremely frequent, it serves an important role in referencing prior correspondence. The predominant source types include science, academia, and news media.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous letter

Replaces "preceding" with "previous", a common synonym indicating the letter before the current one.

earlier letter

Substitutes "preceding" with "earlier", emphasizing that the letter occurred at an earlier time.

prior letter

Uses "prior" instead of "preceding", suggesting the letter came before in order or importance.

aforementioned letter

Replaces "preceding" with "aforementioned", implying the letter was already mentioned.

letter mentioned earlier

Rephrases to specify that the letter was discussed at a previous point.

letter above

Indicates the letter appeared before the current reference in a document or text.

letter before this

Specifies that the letter immediately precedes the current one.

foregoing letter

Uses "foregoing" as a formal synonym for "preceding".

antecedent letter

Employs "antecedent" to denote the letter that logically precedes the current one.

letter in the past

A more general way to refer to a letter that was sent or written at an earlier time.

FAQs

What does "preceding letter" mean?

The phrase "preceding letter" refers to a letter that comes immediately before the current one being discussed or referenced in a sequence or document.

How can I use "preceding letter" in a sentence?

You might say, "As mentioned in the "previous letter", we have updated our policy on returns" or "Please refer to the "earlier letter" for clarification on this matter".

What are some alternatives to "preceding letter"?

Some alternatives include ""previous letter"", ""earlier letter"", or "prior letter", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "preceding letter" or "previous letter"?

Both "preceding letter" and ""previous letter"" are grammatically correct and widely understood. The choice between them often depends on personal preference and the specific tone you wish to convey. "Preceding" may sound slightly more formal.