some months back

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "some months back" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a time period several months in the past. Example: "Some months back, we decided to implement new strategies to improve our workflow."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

SOME months back, with the national mood more "Up in the Air" than "Up," there were doubts about ABC's ability to sell commercial time during its presentation of the coming 82nd annual Academy Awards.

The New York Times

SOME months back, I took my 2 1/2-year-old son to the pediatrician for a checkup and got some unexpected news: he had shrunk half an inch from his previous visit.

The New York Times

My boyfriend committed suicide some months back.

Harvard University

(A matzo-ball soup was dropped some months back).

The New Yorker

Remember all that talk some months back about how the age of irony was over?

The New York Times

Some months back, I called Acacia, looking for a place to celebrate my wedding anniversary.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

9 human-written examples

"I have had many farewells since I announced my decision some five months back, but this one was special," Sorenstam, a Swede, said.

The New York Times - Sports

"I'll be home soon," he promised, with only a hint of the Egyptian accent that Candy had found exotic when he first asked for her phone number at the Electric Cowboy club some 16 months back.

The New York Times - Magazine

Leveraging a recently passed securities rule signed into law by President Obama some six months back (part of the 2012 JOBS Act) that lowers the bar on personal investments, Indiegogo is launching Equity Crowdfunding, a platform aimed at giving small-scale investors a stake in the companies they back.

TechCrunch

When "Nightline" seemed like an endangered species a few months back, and some at ABC claimed the program was irrelevant, the charge wouldn't have become a hot-button issue if there hadn't been some truth behind it.

The New York Times - Arts

A few months back, Ron Jeremy and some immoral ladies were interviewed by yours truly!

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "some months back" when you want to refer to a period several months in the past without needing to be precise about the exact duration.

Common error

Avoid using "some months back" when a more specific timeframe (e.g., "three months ago") is known and relevant. Being precise enhances clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "some months back" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, indicating when an event occurred. It provides temporal context, specifying that the event took place a few months before the present moment. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Academia

16%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "some months back" is a common and grammatically correct way to refer to a period several months in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It's versatile enough for use in news, academic writing, and general conversation, fitting a neutral tone. While it's useful when you don't need to specify an exact timeframe, remember that being more precise enhances clarity when possible. Alternatives such as "a few months ago" or "several months ago" can also be used, depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few months ago

Emphasizes a shorter, less definite period than "some months back".

several months ago

Indicates a more specific but still relatively recent period in the past.

a couple of months back

Specifies a period of approximately two months in the past.

months prior

More formal and suggests a preceding timeframe, often in a sequence.

in recent months

Broader timeframe covering the last few months without pinpointing when something occurred.

in the past few months

Highlights a span of time in the recent past.

earlier this year

More specific if the event happened within the current calendar year.

a while ago

More vague and general, less precise than specifying "months".

previously

Formal and concise, indicating something that occurred before the present.

some time ago

Vague indication of past, implying it could be longer than just months.

FAQs

How can I use "some months back" in a sentence?

You can use "some months back" to refer to an unspecified period several months in the past. For example, "Some months back, we decided to launch a new product line."

What are some alternatives to "some months back"?

You can use alternatives like "a few months ago", "several months ago", or "in recent months" depending on the context.

Is "some months back" formal or informal?

"Some months back" is generally considered neutral in formality. While suitable for news articles and general conversation, more formal contexts might benefit from a more precise timeframe such as "three months prior".

When is it best to use "some months back" instead of a more specific time frame?

Use "some months back" when the exact number of months isn't important or known, but you want to indicate a period of several months in the past. If the precise timeframe is relevant, use a more specific phrase.