previously has

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "previously has" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as it combines two tenses that do not work together. Example: "She previously has worked at that company before moving to a new job." (should be "had worked")

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The average previously has been 226.9mm.

The Guardian

No exhibition mounted previously has ever been so revealing of the man and the star.

The Guardian - Music

It's aggregating a lot of information that previously has not had a central home.

The New York Times

Duterte previously has both denied and acknowledged his involvement in the Davao death squads.

The Guardian

Coulson himself previously has said he was on "not unfriendly terms" with Hayman.

The Guardian

Anyone who previously has such a claim denied is being advised to resubmit it.

The Guardian - Money

The supreme court previously has rejected some of these claims in cases decided before the law's enactment.

The Guardian

Central Manchester university hospitals foundation trust, which had 47% more staff last October than four years previously, has done both.

The Guardian

Much like Manchester City, there have been periods of dominance but the consistent level set previously has been absent.

The Guardian - Sport

An alumna of Skidmore College, where Mr. Smitobol worked previously, has a family connection to the company.

The New York Times

Mr. Romney previously has called for cutting the corporate tax to 25 percent from 35 percent.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating a prior action or state, use "has previously" or "had previously" for grammatical correctness. For example, instead of "She previously has worked there", write "She has previously worked there" or "She had previously worked there."

Common error

Avoid using "previously has" as it mixes present perfect and adverbial timing incorrectly. Instead, ensure the adverb "previously" modifies the correct verb form, such as "has previously" or "had previously".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previously has" functions as an adverb-auxiliary verb combination intended to indicate that an action or state occurred before the present. However, this construction is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI states, the adverb 'previously' is misplaced.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

41%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "previously has" is frequently encountered, it's grammatically incorrect. The correct forms are "has previously" or "had previously", depending on the intended tense. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that the phrase appears in various contexts, including news, media, and scientific publications, but its incorrect usage impacts its overall quality. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid "previously has" and opt for grammatically correct alternatives to ensure clarity and precision in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has previously

Reorders the words for grammatical correctness, placing "previously" after "has".

had previously

Uses the past perfect tense to indicate an action completed before a point in the past.

has done before

Uses a more common and simpler construction to convey prior action.

has in the past

Emphasizes that the action happened at some unspecified time in the past.

was formerly

Indicates a past state or condition, often used for roles or positions.

has earlier

A simpler way of saying something happened at an earlier time.

has once

Indicates that something happened one time in the past.

formerly possessed

Expresses that someone used to have something.

previously owned

Expresses a previous state of ownership.

has at one time

Similar to "has once" but slightly more emphatic.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "previously has" in a sentence?

To correct "previously has", rearrange the words to "has previously" or use the past perfect tense: "had previously". For example, "He previously has worked here" should be "He "has previously" worked here" or "He "had previously" worked here".

What's the difference between "has previously" and "had previously"?

"Has previously" indicates an action completed at some point before the present. "Had previously" indicates an action completed before a specific point in the past. The choice depends on the context and the timeline you're establishing in your writing.

When should I use "has previously" instead of other alternatives?

Use "has previously" when you want to emphasize that an action was completed before the present moment, without specifying exactly when. This is useful in situations where the timing is less important than the fact that it occurred before now.

Are there situations where "previously has" might be acceptable?

While technically incorrect in standard English, "previously has" may occasionally appear in informal speech or writing. However, for formal contexts, it's best to use ""has previously"" or ""had previously"" to ensure grammatical accuracy.