shortly preceding

USAGE SUMMARY

"shortly preceding" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something happened just before something else, like this: The fire broke out shortly preceding the evacuation.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Blankstein et al. [ 18] described a minor trauma shortly preceding development of septic phenomenon.

BMC Infectious Diseases

To date, early interventions have focussed on the prodromal stage shortly preceding the onset of SMI [ 1].

BMC Psychiatry

For example, evoked visual responses correlate strongly with ongoing activity shortly preceding the stimulus (Arieli et al., 1996).

eLife

To evaluate whether a decline in wildlife abundance has occurred concurrently or shortly preceding the current EBOV outbreak, we conducted a wildlife survey using line transects (Buckland et al, 2005).

EMBO Molecular Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

He rushed to fifth place during a flurry of pit stops on Lap 208 that shortly preceded a caution flag, then reached fourth and coasted there the rest of the way to clinch the title.

The New York Times - Sports

All of these examples speak to a concept proposed in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1980 by Dr. James F. Fries of Stanford University: that adult vigor can be extended well into the ninth decade of life, with illness and disability compressed into a period that shortly precedes death.

The New York Times - Health

But Burke cites a similar survey of individual investors done by the American Association of Individual Investors showing bulls outnumbering bears by the widest margin ever, surpassing extremes in August 1987 and January 2000 months that shortly preceded major market dives.

Forbes

This article previously suggested that Castile's death shortly preceded Wednesday's shooting in Iowa.

Huffington Post

UPDATE: As Slate's Dave Weigel points outs, the three tweets sent out to Brown's entire following were shortly preceded by a series of curt replies to Twitter accounts who had earlier in the evening tweeted critical statements at Brown.

Huffington Post

Since DNA damage occurs so early upon entry into S phase (Fig. 6A), conceivably it might even shortly precede it.

Plosone

Figure 3A shows the normalized average responses, where we observe that the mean theta power activation shortly preceded the increase in firing rate by 50 100 ms, while increases in gamma power and firing rate appeared at approximately the same time.

Current Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When precision is crucial, supplement "shortly preceding" with a specific time frame. For example: "The data was collected 24 hours shortly preceding the incident."

Common error

Avoid using "shortly preceding" when events happen at the same time. "Shortly preceding" implies a clear order, even if the interval is minimal.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shortly preceding" functions as an adverbial modifier and a participial adjective, indicating the temporal relationship of one event happening a short time before another. Ludwig AI confirms this is a usable form in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "shortly preceding" is a grammatically correct adverbial modifier used to indicate that an event occurred just before another. As Ludwig AI validates, its use is appropriate in written English. It appears most frequently in science, news, and media contexts. While alternatives like "immediately before" or "just prior to" exist, "shortly preceding" provides a nuanced way to establish temporal sequence. Use it to provide context by explaining the timing of events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

immediately before

This alternative emphasizes the immediacy of the temporal relationship, suggesting an even shorter interval.

just prior to

A more formal way of saying "shortly before", suitable for academic or professional contexts.

directly ahead of

This suggests that something is positioned or occurs straight before in a sequence.

in the moments before

Highlights a brief timeframe, implying a specific series of events happened right before another event.

close upon

Implies closely following or approaching something, similar to preceding in time.

on the verge of

Emphasizes the imminence of what follows, focusing on anticipation rather than direct temporal sequence.

leading up to

This phrase refers to a period of time before an event, not necessarily the immediate moment.

antecedent to

A very formal and less common way to indicate something that comes before.

proximate to

Focuses on the closeness in time or sequence, but may not always indicate direct succession.

in anticipation of

This highlights the expectation or preparation for something that is about to happen.

FAQs

How can I use "shortly preceding" in a sentence?

Use "shortly preceding" to indicate that an event occurred just before another. For example: "The rain started "shortly preceding" our arrival."

What are some alternatives to "shortly preceding"?

Alternatives include "immediately before", "just prior to", or "directly ahead of", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is there a difference between "shortly preceding" and "immediately preceding"?

"Immediately preceding" suggests a shorter time frame than "shortly preceding". "Shortly" implies a brief period, while "immediately" suggests almost no time has passed.

Can "shortly preceding" be used to describe events happening at the same time?

No, "shortly preceding" implies a sequence of events, where one event happens before the other, even if the time difference is minimal. Simultaneous events should be described using terms like "concurrently" or "simultaneously".