prior to keep

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prior to keep" is not correct in English and does not convey a clear meaning.
It seems to be an attempt to express a concept related to timing or conditions before maintaining something, but it lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "Prior to keeping the documents, ensure they are properly organized."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The single allows Prior to keep strike.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

That is either a nonsense, or a very pragmatic decision that recognized that Prior needed to keep wicket ahead of the Lord's Test.

The Guardian - Sport

In the 40 years since the court handed down its ruling, there has not been another instance of officially sanctioned prior restraint to keep an American newspaper from printing secret information on national security grounds.

The New York Times

So after a year of much study and negotiation, monument conservation experts plan to first remove the iron cage that Jerusalem's colonial British rulers built in 1947 in a prior effort to keep the Aedicule from collapsing, after a 1927 earthquake and rain left the structure cracked, its marble slabs flaking.

The New York Times

Still, Facebook recently waffled on prior commitments to keep WhatsApp data private from other Facebook services.

Vice

This demonstrates a strong bias by prior experience to keep using a recently acquired control policy that continues to produce successful performance inspite of differences in tasks and feedback conditions.

Plosone

Samples of microalgae cultures were diluted accordingly prior to measurement to keep the absorbance in a linear range.

AMB Express

Prior was fit to keep wicket again after the discomforts of a sickness bug on Friday but was uncharacteristically untidy behind the stumps.

BBC

Because the tubes were held within a block in the shaker, it was necessary to freeze the block at −80°C prior to use to keep the tubes frozen longer.

Applications in Plant Sciences

The soil samples were analysed individually, whereas the plant samples (blocks of 30?×?30 cm) were pooled into plant families prior further processing to keep the sample size manageable to allow a parallel DNA-based and microscopic study.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

When LY294002 (from a 10 mM stock solution in DMSO) was used, it was added 5 min prior to and kept during mGluR5 stimulation.

British Journal of Pharmacology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When you intend to express that an action should occur before maintaining something, use clear and established phrases like "before maintaining", "prior to maintenance", or "in advance of keeping" for better clarity.

Common error

Do not use the phrase "prior to keep" as it's not a recognized idiom. Such phrasing can cause confusion and is grammatically unconventional.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prior to keep" is not a recognized grammatical structure in English. Instead, it appears to be an incomplete or incorrect phrasing. The correct form would typically involve a gerund (keeping) or a noun related to maintenance, as highlighted by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "prior to keep" is identified by Ludwig as grammatically incorrect and lacking a clear meaning in standard English. While the phrase attempts to convey the idea of something happening before maintaining something, it doesn't achieve this effectively. The recommendation is to use established and grammatically correct alternatives such as "before maintaining", "prior to keeping", or "in advance of keeping". These alternatives ensure clarity and are aligned with standard English usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

before retaining

This alternative replaces "prior to keep" with a more direct and grammatically correct phrase indicating the sequence of actions.

before maintaining

Similar to "before retaining", this emphasizes the temporal order in which something should be maintained or preserved.

in advance of keeping

This option adds formality by using "in advance of" to specify that an action occurs before keeping something.

ahead of retaining

This alternative suggests that something is done in preparation for or anticipation of retaining something.

leading up to maintaining

This option focuses on the preparatory actions or conditions before something is maintained.

preceding the retention of

A more formal way to express that something happens before retaining something, often used in legal or official contexts.

preliminary to the maintenance of

This alternative highlights that certain steps are preliminary or preparatory before maintaining something.

antecedent to keeping

This option indicates that something exists or occurs before keeping something, often implying a causal relationship.

previous to preserving

Using "preserving" adds an element of ensuring something is maintained, with actions taken beforehand.

earlier than maintaining

This is a straightforward alternative, simply indicating something happened or should happen earlier in time than maintaining something.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "prior to keep" for clarity?

To improve clarity, replace "prior to keep" with phrases such as "before retaining", "before maintaining", or /s/"in+advance+of+keeping" depending on the specific context you want to express.

Is "prior to keep" grammatically correct?

No, "prior to keep" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It is better to use "prior to keeping" or other alternatives such as /s/"before+maintaining" or /s/"before+retaining".

What's a more formal alternative to "prior to keep"?

A more formal alternative to "prior to keep" would be /s/"in+advance+of+keeping" or "preceding the retention of", as these phrases are more commonly used in formal writing.

When should I use "before maintaining" instead of "prior to keep"?

Always use /s/"before+maintaining" instead of "prior to keep". The former is grammatically correct and widely understood, while the latter is not a recognized or accepted phrase in standard English.