prior three quarters

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prior three quarters" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the three quarters of a year that occurred before the current quarter. Example: "The company's revenue has increased compared to the prior three quarters, indicating a positive trend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The CredAbility Consumer Distress Index, a measure of household financial stability, fell sharply in the third quarter, largely erasing improvements made over the prior three quarters.

The New York Times

During the prior three quarters, Ventro's main activities were taking a $406 million writeoff after killing its life science and specialty medical supplies online marketplace, and changing the company name from the household cleaner-resonant Chemdex.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

However, like the prior two quarters, we didn't see deals above the $1 billion mark.

TechCrunch

In the prior seven quarters, VC-backed companies were 36 of 108 offerings.

Forbes

The second quarter is typically a weak one for new subscribers, especially compared to the prior two quarters.

TechCrunch

In the Wireline segment, FiOS customer growth in fourth-quarter 2012 was greater than in the prior two quarters, despite the disruption caused by Superstorm Sandy.

TechCrunch

A late August report showed U.S. Gross Domestic Product growing at an annual rate of 3.1% in the second quarter compared to 1.4% for the prior two quarters.

Forbes

Verizon Wireless reported record-setting customer additions in the quarter, while Verizon FiOS customer additions were higher in fourth-quarter 2012 than in the prior two quarters, despite the impact of Superstorm Sandy.

TechCrunch

While the company has been declaring record sales in recent quarters, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization at company-operated Wendy's averaged 13.7%in the last four quarters, down from the 14.4% average for the prior four quarters.

Forbes

The Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index (WF/G SB Index) survey conducted with small business owners in early January showed they were more optimistic going into 2016 with a composite Index score of 67 (26 for present situation and 41 for future expectations) than they were in the surveys conducted in the prior three consecutive quarters of 2015.

Huffington Post

But it's prior four positive quarters were showing shrinking net profits (below) so today's return to the red is not a surprise.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing data across different time periods, use "prior three quarters" to clearly indicate you are referring to the three quarters immediately preceding the period you are comparing it to. This enhances clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "former three quarters" instead of "prior three quarters". "Former" implies something previously held but not necessarily consecutive, whereas "prior" specifically refers to the three quarters immediately preceding the current one.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prior three quarters" functions as a temporal modifier, specifying a period of time immediately preceding a particular reference point. It's used to provide context by comparing current events or data with those of the immediately preceding three quarters. The Ludwig AI confirms the usability of this phrase.

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, "prior three quarters" is a grammatically sound phrase used to refer to the three quarters immediately preceding a specific point in time. Though not exceedingly common, Ludwig AI indicates that it is a perfectly usable phrase, mainly found in News & Media and Scientific contexts. When writing, ensure that "prior" is not confused with "former" and to be specific about the period you are referencing. Use the alternatives "previous three quarters" or "last three quarters" for more common expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous three quarters

Replaces "prior" with "previous", offering a more common synonym with identical meaning.

last three quarters

Substitutes "prior" with "last", providing a simpler and equally understood alternative.

three preceding quarters

Uses "preceding" instead of "prior", adding a slightly more formal tone.

three earlier quarters

Replaces "prior" with "earlier", focusing on the temporal sequence.

the three quarters before

Restructures the phrase to emphasize the sequential relationship to a given point in time.

three quarters beforehand

Focuses on the time elapsed before a certain event, using "beforehand".

the three immediate past quarters

Adds emphasis on the immediacy of the period, making it sound more specific.

the last nine months

Converts "quarters" into months, making the timeframe more explicit. There are approximately three months in each quarter.

three quarters gone by

Uses a more poetic construction and uses "gone by" to emphasize that the period has elapsed.

the three prior fiscal periods

Emphasizes the "quarters" are periods related to financial matters.

FAQs

How can I use "prior three quarters" in a sentence?

You can use "prior three quarters" to compare data, for example: "Sales this quarter are up 15% compared to the "prior three quarters"".

What is a synonym for "prior three quarters"?

Alternatives to "prior three quarters" include "previous three quarters", or "last three quarters".

Is it correct to say "previous three quarters" instead of "prior three quarters"?

Yes, "previous three quarters" is a valid and often more common alternative to "prior three quarters".

What is the difference between "prior three quarters" and "three quarters ago"?

"Prior three quarters" refers to the three consecutive quarters immediately before a specific point in time. "Three quarters ago" is more general and could refer to any three-month period in the past, not necessarily consecutive.