previously longer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "previously longer" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to describe something that was longer at an earlier time, but it lacks clarity and proper grammatical structure. Example: "The document was previously longer, but we have since condensed it for clarity."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Despite the necessity of expanding the Afghan security forces (currently less than one-fourth the size of the Iraqi security forces in a much larger and more populous country), the Afghan government and its international partners are having enormous difficulties filling ANA and ANP ranks with soldiers and police officers – even under its previously longer timeline.

The Guardian - Opinion

He wears a purple shirt and glasses, and his previously longer hair has been shaven.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"As mentioned previously, the longer one remains in a vegetative state, the less the likelihood of emerging, and the higher the chances of severe ramifications if the patient does in fact emerge," Dr Hartstein wrote.

Independent

"As mentioned previously, the longer one remains in a vegetative state, the less the likelihood of emerging, and the higher the chances of severe ramifications if the patient does in fact emerge," // >< -- < --//--><![CDATA[// >< --//--><tcove.createExperiences; //-->< --//--><>< --//--><

Independent

As previously mentioned, longer GCR exposure ages are expected for cometary particles considering the Poynting Robertson effect.

Earth, Planets and Space

Sleeping workers, for instance, could actually reflect something that The Daily Mail recently reported as a newfound benefit afforded workers, who previously worked longer hours and were punished severely for napping at their desks.

TechCrunch

However, while controls responded faster if the target has been previously presented longer, no such relation could be observed among CP participants.

Plosone

But as mentioned previously, the longer the follow-up period the greater the dilution.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

This is in addition to a previously observed longer term response, distinguishable by its shift in baseline expression, under nonstressful conditions.

Genome Biology and Evolution

The shorter duration of carbon dioxide rebreathing system yields a CO measurement that is similar in accuracy to that obtained with the previously used, longer duration of rebreathing.

Critical Care

As previously reported, longer survival was also attained by patients with high levels of BRCA1 (28.6 months; 95% CI, 20.2 36.9 months) compared with those with low levels (9.8 months; 95% CI, 7.2 12.5 months; P<0.0001; Wei et al, 2011).

British Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the phrase "previously longer", opt for clearer alternatives like "formerly longer", "used to be longer", or "was once longer" to ensure grammatical correctness and readability.

Common error

Avoid using "previously longer" when intending to compare two lengths directly. Instead, use phrases like "longer than before" or "longer than it was" to clearly indicate the comparison.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previously longer" functions as an adverb-adjective combination attempting to modify a noun by indicating a past state of increased length. As noted by Ludwig AI, this construction is not standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "previously longer" is used to indicate that something was of a greater length at an earlier point in time. However, Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase isn't standard English and should be avoided. It's better to use alternatives such as "formerly longer" or "used to be longer" for improved clarity and grammatical correctness. While examples exist in news and scientific sources, the questionable grammatical status makes the phrase less suitable for formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formerly longer

Replaces "previously" with "formerly", maintaining the sense of something being longer in the past.

used to be longer

Expresses the past length more explicitly using "used to be".

was once longer

Similar to "used to be longer" but emphasizes a specific point in the past.

initially longer

Focuses on the initial state of being longer before a change.

originally longer

Highlights the original length before subsequent modifications.

previously extended

Replaces "longer" with "extended", offering a slightly more formal tone.

formerly extended

Combination of the first two alternatives, replacing "previously" with "formerly" and "longer" with "extended".

had been longer

Indicates a past state of being longer that has since changed.

in the past, longer

More explicitly states that the length was greater at some point in the past.

at one time, longer

Similar to "in the past, longer" but emphasizes that the length was greater at a specific moment.

FAQs

What does "previously longer" mean?

The phrase "previously longer" is intended to describe something that used to be longer in the past. However, it's not standard English and can be improved for clarity.

What can I say instead of "previously longer"?

You can use alternatives like "formerly longer", "used to be longer", or "was once longer" depending on the context.

Is "previously longer" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "previously longer" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use clearer and more conventional phrasing.

How can I use "used to be longer" in a sentence?

You can say, "The document used to be longer, but we condensed it for clarity."