soon before

USAGE SUMMARY

"soon before" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to describe something that happened right before another event or action. Example: "The team had a quick strategy meeting soon before the game started."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And soon, before you know it.

Independent

But that couldn't happen, not so soon before elections.

The New York Times

How soon before others start shouting that this is unfair?

The Economist

14, soon before a knee injury ended his season.

The New York Times - Sports

"They better make up their mind soon, before school starts".

The New York Times

Perhaps the survey was taken too soon, before Mr. Koch's legacy could be fully appreciated.

The New York Times

"He died quite soon before I wrote that book, so it was written for strange reasons.

Independent

Now the Tigers need to get something done soon before this slips away.

The New York Times

How soon before only official dealers can service and repair people's cars and appliances?

The Economist

One company settled soon before the trial began, and another settled during the proceedings.

The New York Times

Surely Labour had to confront that claim soon, before it hardened into accepted fact.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "soon before" to clearly establish a temporal sequence, indicating that one event closely precedes another. This enhances clarity in narrative and informative writing.

Common error

Avoid using "soon before" when "soon after" is more appropriate. "Soon before" indicates precedence, while "soon after" indicates consequence. Be precise about the temporal relationship.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "soon before" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating a temporal relationship where one event happens in close proximity to, but preceding, another. As evidenced by Ludwig, this phrase is frequently used to establish a timeline.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Wiki

16%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "soon before" serves as an adverbial phrase indicating a temporal relationship, specifying that an event happened a short time before another. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used. It is most frequently found in News & Media and Wiki contexts. While versatile, more precise alternatives might be preferred in formal settings. When writing, be mindful of differentiating it from "soon after" to ensure accurate temporal representation. The best practice is to clearly establish a temporal sequence, indicating that one event closely precedes another.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shortly before

Emphasizes the brief time interval preceding the event.

just before

Indicates an event happening in the moments leading up to another.

immediately prior to

Highlights the direct temporal proximity, often in a more formal setting.

leading up to

Focuses on the period of time preceding the main event.

preceding

A more formal way to indicate something that comes before.

in the run-up to

Similar to 'leading up to' but often used for events with a sense of buildup.

in advance of

Suggests preparation or anticipation for a later event.

earlier than

A general comparison indicating a previous occurrence.

on the verge of

Highlights imminence and the short interval before something happens.

antecedent to

A highly formal and less common way to say 'before'.

FAQs

How can I use "soon before" in a sentence?

Use "soon before" to indicate that an event occurred a short time prior to another event. For example, "The rain started "soon before" the ceremony began".

What's a good alternative to "soon before"?

Alternatives include "shortly before", "just before", or "immediately prior to", depending on the context and level of formality you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "soon before" and "long before"?

Yes, "soon before" implies a short time interval, while "long before" indicates a significant duration of time passed before the event.

Can "soon before" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "soon before" is acceptable in formal writing, but more precise alternatives like "immediately prior to" or "preceding" may be preferred in certain contexts.