previous reply

USAGE SUMMARY

"previous reply" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it when referring to an answer or response that someone gave earlier in a conversation or in a written exchange. For example, "I have taken into account your previous reply, and I have a few follow-up questions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

As explained in the previous reply, there was an update to optimize the image retention prevention in specific situations.

Forbes

I gather from your previous reply that you don't want to disclose absolute amounts, but could you provide a % answer?

Huffington Post

In my previous reply to Weiner, I explained how judicial deference has facilitated the rise of the administrative state, thus effectuating what Professor Gary Lawson has rightly described as "nothing less than a bloodless constitutional revolution".

Huffington Post

We addressed this comment in the previous reply.

Biology Direct

In response to the authors reply previous reply, the ASA guidelines do not actually recommend the use of videolaryngoscopy in a predicted difficult intubation - they suggest the consideration of it.

F1000Research

Similarly "conventional" is also no "conventional" method but use the two terms "intraspecies homology-based prediction" as well as "interspecies homology-based prediction" instead of "stringent" or, previously "accurate" to not mislead the reader Authors' response: As we discussed in the previous reply, intraspecies/interspecies homology-based prediction are also very confusing to the readers.

Biology Direct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Before @ProgressPolls, its username was @Truth_Bombers, they confirmed, something I suspected after a bunch of digging into the account's previous replies, and from a deep dive into the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine.

The Washington Post

The next person to 'sign in' with that object can learn about previous replies, and the idea is, regular 'conversations' with the same objects will allow players to learn lots of stories about the hidden lives of the city's population.

The Guardian - Tech

That is to say, messages not only attract replies according to the number of previous replies, i.e. degree, but also to their time-stamp.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

Kumar et al. also propose an authorship model to determine the author of a comment based on the observation that users tend to reply users who had previous replied to their messages.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

So there's no reason to think he won't respond, although if previous replies are any indication, the answers to these questions may be less informative than Congress (and we) would like.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a specific previous reply, especially in formal writing, ensure clarity by including a reference to the date, time, or context of the reply. This helps avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "previous reply" without sufficient context. Readers may not remember the specific reply you are referencing, especially in lengthy or complex discussions. Always provide enough information to ensure the reference is clear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previous reply" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying the noun "reply". It specifies which reply is being referred to, indicating that it is one that was given earlier in a conversation or exchange. As Ludwig AI clarifies, it is correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

50%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "previous reply" is a grammatically correct and understandable phrase used to reference an earlier response in a conversation or written exchange. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is acceptable across a range of contexts, though clarity is key to ensuring the reader understands which reply is being referenced. While not overly formal, it's suitable for professional communication, and its context of use, as shown by Ludwig examples, varies from news articles to scientific papers. Therefore, consider clarifying references, especially when the exchange is lengthy or complex.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

earlier response

Replaces "reply" with "response", maintaining the same meaning while using a slightly different term.

prior response

Similar to "earlier response" but uses "prior", a slightly more formal synonym for "previous".

earlier answer

Replaces "reply" with "answer", and "previous" with "earlier", making the phrase slightly less formal.

prior answer

Substitutes both "previous" and "reply" with synonyms, focusing on the act of answering a question.

aforementioned response

Uses a more formal term, "aforementioned", to refer to the reply that was previously mentioned.

response given earlier

Reorders the words but retains the original meaning of referring to a response that was previously provided.

response above

Indicates that the reply can be found in the text or conversation directly before the current statement.

preceding answer

Emphasizes that the answer came directly before the current statement.

initial response

Highlights that the response was the first one in a sequence of exchanges.

initial answer

Highlights that the reply was the first answer given in a series of exchanges.

FAQs

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

You can use "previous reply" to refer back to a response given earlier. For example, "In my analysis, I considered the points you raised in your "previous reply"".

What's a more formal alternative to "previous reply"?

Alternatives such as "aforementioned response" or "prior response" can be used in more formal contexts.

Is it always clear what "previous reply" refers to?

Not always. To ensure clarity, especially in long conversations, it's helpful to specify which "previous reply" you are referring to by date, time, or context.

What's the difference between "previous reply" and "earlier response"?

The phrases are largely interchangeable. "Earlier response" might imply a slightly shorter time gap, but in most cases, the meaning is the same.