preceding quarter

USAGE SUMMARY

"preceding quarter" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to refer to the quarter of a year (three-month period) that immediately comes before the current quarter. For example, "Our sales figures for the preceding quarter were lower than expected."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Growth slowed to 4.4%, from 4.8% in the preceding quarter.

The Economist

In each quarter last year things were a little better than the preceding quarter.

The New York Times

Time period, t for current quarter and t – 1 for preceding quarter.

Harvard Business Review

Takings in both its divisions were almost flat in the preceding quarter.

The Times

That put the unemployment rate at 7.9%, up from 7.7% in the preceding quarter.

The Guardian - Business

That is an increase from the 2.4 percent growth rate recorded for the preceding quarter.

The New York Times

GDP picked up to 5.6% from 2.4% in the preceding quarter.

The Economist

It also topped the 5.3 trillion won in the preceding quarter.

The New York Times

The increases included "higher-than-anticipated medical costs" in the preceding quarter, which emerged in the final quarter, Aetna said.

The New York Times

Last Thursday, Palm reported smartphone revenue for the quarter ending Feb. 28 declined to $77.5 million, from $171 million the preceding quarter.

The New York Times

In its sequentially preceding quarter, Salesforce's revenue totaled $1.23 billion.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing data, clearly state what you are comparing "preceding quarter" results to (e.g., current quarter, same quarter last year) to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "preceding quarter" when you actually mean the next quarter. "Preceding" always refers to the period that came before the current one, not after.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "preceding quarter" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun (usually a period of time such as "quarter", "year", or "month"). It specifies the relative position in time in relation to the current period. Ludwig AI examples show usage in economic reports and financial analyses.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

28%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "preceding quarter" is a common and grammatically sound way to refer to the quarter of a year that immediately precedes the current one. According to Ludwig AI analysis, it's primarily used in contexts related to news, business, and science, indicating a neutral to professional register. While alternatives like ""previous quarter"" or "last quarter" exist, it's important to use "preceding quarter" accurately to avoid confusing it with the following quarter. Best practice involves clearly stating what you are comparing it to, and that is to avoid ambiguity. This phrase helps establish a clear temporal reference point for comparisons and analyses.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous quarter

Replaces "preceding" with "previous", a direct synonym, maintaining the same meaning.

prior quarter

Substitutes "preceding" with "prior", another synonym emphasizing the temporal sequence.

the immediately preceding quarter

Adds emphasis with "immediately" to explicitly clarify the sequence.

last quarter

Uses a more common and slightly less formal term for the quarter immediately before the current one.

the prior three-month period

More explicitly defines 'quarter' as a three-month period.

the quarter before

Rephrases the concept using "before" to indicate the order, slightly altering the structure.

the quarter just ended

Specifies that the quarter has concluded, providing a slightly different nuance.

the last fiscal quarter

Specifies that the quarter is part of a company's fiscal year.

the three months before this one

Breaks down the term to three months period.

the quarter under review

The quarter that has just been assessed.

FAQs

How do I use "preceding quarter" in a sentence?

Use "preceding quarter" to refer to the three-month period that immediately precedes the current one. For example, "Sales were down 10% compared to the "previous quarter"".

What's a more informal way to say "preceding quarter"?

In less formal contexts, you can use phrases like "last quarter" instead of "preceding quarter".

Is "preceding quarter" the same as "previous quarter"?

Yes, "preceding quarter" and ""previous quarter"" are largely interchangeable and have the same meaning. The choice between them often comes down to personal preference or style.

How does "preceding quarter" relate to a fiscal year?

"Preceding quarter" refers to the quarter immediately before the current one, regardless of where it falls within a fiscal year. It could be the quarter before the start of a new fiscal year, within the same fiscal year, or the quarter before the end of a fiscal year.