previous morning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'previous morning' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the morning before the current one. For example: I had forgotten my work bag in the office the previous morning.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Some people had been working since seven o'clock the previous morning.

The Guardian

She had been there since the previous morning, unable to sleep, eat or drink.

The New York Times

Moyal pointed to one from the previous morning, which exploded in a scrubby field on the edge of town.

The New Yorker

Just the previous morning, he had had the documents hand-carried to the director of the Scorpion.

The New Yorker

The previous morning, the Frenchman had stood on the beach with everyone else, watching the fishermen with the turtle.

The New Yorker

The previous morning, we had arrested the head imam because he was stockpiling weapons in the mosque.

The New York Times

The play he had mentioned the previous morning, "M'kubwa Junction," was set in Rhodesia, he said, and was based on his time there.

The New Yorker

The next day, when Officer Farrell heard about the incident at Sing Sing, he told the State Police about the two men he had encountered the previous morning.

The New York Times

Dr. Bierenbaum said he had last seen his wife at their home at 185 East 85th Street the previous morning, according to the police report.

The New York Times

Someone in the hospital team always seemed to have heard him on Radio 4's Today programme the previous morning, or seen him on Newsnight the previous evening.

The Guardian

The previous morning, Kate had been all in a dither, fretting about catching a crab and losing the race for her team.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "previous morning" to clearly specify the morning of the day before the current context. This provides a precise time reference, avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "previous morning" when "yesterday morning" would be more direct and easily understood, especially in informal contexts. Overusing "previous" can sound unnecessarily formal.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previous morning" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb to indicate when an action occurred. Ludwig AI's examples show it's frequently used to set a timeline in narratives or reports.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

19%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "previous morning" is a grammatically sound and common way to refer to the morning of the day before the current day. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread usage. While alternatives like "yesterday morning" may be more common in casual conversation, "previous morning" offers clarity and can be suitable for various contexts, including news reporting and academic writing. Ludwig's analysis reveals its prevalence in "News & Media" and "Science", cementing its role as a reliable temporal marker. Using "previous morning" ensures a clear time reference, and while it may lean slightly toward formality, it remains a versatile choice for precise communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

yesterday morning

Direct synonym, clearly indicating the morning of the day before.

the morning before

Uses a slightly more descriptive structure.

on the morning before

Adds a preposition for slightly more emphasis on the specific time.

the preceding morning

Uses a more formal word, "preceding".

the earlier morning

Emphasizes that it happened before the current moment.

the morning of the day before

Expresses the same meaning in a more verbose way.

the morning prior

Uses the word "prior" which is a synonym to 'before'.

the morning in question

Focuses on the fact that a specific morning is under discussion or being investigated.

the aforesaid morning

A very formal way of referring to a previously mentioned morning.

that morning

Relies on context to specify which morning is being referenced.

FAQs

How can I use "previous morning" in a sentence?

You can use "previous morning" to refer to the morning of the day before the current one. For example, "I had coffee with her the "previous morning"."

What can I say instead of "previous morning"?

You can use alternatives like "yesterday morning" or "the morning before" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "previous morning" or "yesterday morning"?

While both are correct, "yesterday morning" is often more direct and commonly used in everyday conversation. "Previous morning" can be used for a slightly more formal tone or when specifying a particular morning in a narrative.

What's the difference between "previous morning" and "last morning"?

"Last morning" can be ambiguous if it's not clear which recent morning is being referred to. "Previous morning" specifically means the morning of the day before the current day.