the immediately prior

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the immediately prior" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to something that occurred just before a specific point in time or event. Example: "In the report, we analyzed the data from the immediately prior quarter to identify trends."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

We normally position each sequence over the immediately prior one to avoid oblique planes due to fetal motion [1, 2].

Insights into Imaging

Thus, the lack of phenotypic variation in small populations was owing to it having been eliminated by natural selection during the immediately prior period of decline.

SEP

The immediately prior years tirelessly emphasized the essential role of the register of the Symbolic, namely, the pride of place of analytically modified versions of Saussurian signifiers in the structures and dynamics of the unconscious and speaking subjectivity (in the 1930s and 1940s, the phenomenal-visual register of the Imaginary was to the fore thanks to the focus on the mirror stage).

SEP

One well-known class of such process are Markov chains, which produce a discrete sequence of outcomes with the property that the value of an outcome is dependent on the value of the immediately prior outcome (but that immediately prior outcome screens off the rest of the history).

SEP

The immediately prior singing behavior of these individuals was not monitored.

Plosone

In immediate recall tasks, subjects may be asked to describe what they have just seen during the immediately prior task, to pick out "seen" vs. "unseen" pictures amongst a set (as in Whalen, et al. 1998[6], or to designate individually presented items as previously "seen" or "unseen".

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

In this case, in all the circumstances that have led to not having hemoglobin determinations before delivery, we will proceed to incorporate at this time-point the immediately-prior determination of hemoglobin.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

The open symbol represents the force immediately prior to the introduction of Epi.

Plosone

No verbal warning was given to the students immediately prior to the time the guardsmen fired.

The New York Times

Additionally, subjects wore an actigraph wrist monitor (Actiwatch Spectrum, Respironics) the night immediately prior to the study day.

Nature

In most cases this occurs during a face-to-face meeting of the forecasters immediately prior to the COF.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "the immediately prior", ensure that the context clearly establishes a sequence or order to avoid ambiguity. This phrase works best when referencing specific steps, events, or items within a defined process.

Common error

Avoid using "the immediately prior" in situations where simpler alternatives like "the previous" or "the preceding" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or convoluted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the immediately prior" functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying a noun by specifying which one is being referred to. It helps to pinpoint a specific element in a sequence or a list.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the immediately prior" is a grammatically sound phrase used to specify the element that comes directly before something else. While Ludwig AI confirms it's correct and usable, it's more common in formal and scientific contexts where precision is key. Simpler alternatives like "the previous" or "the preceding" are often preferable in less formal settings. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by establishing a clear sequence to avoid ambiguity. As showcased by examples found by Ludwig, this expression most frequently appears in scientific publications, followed by news and media, and academic writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the immediately preceding

Synonym that reinforces the direct and recent sequence.

the preceding

Uses a single word to convey the idea of coming before.

the previous

Simple and direct synonym for 'prior'.

the directly preceding

Highlights the directness of the sequence.

the just prior

Adds emphasis on how recent it was.

the one before

More informal way to indicate the previous item.

the foregoing

More formal synonym for preceding.

the item before this

Explicitly refers to the item in sequence.

the antecedent

Focuses on what came before as an influence.

the former

Suitable when contrasting with something that follows.

FAQs

How can I use "the immediately prior" in a sentence?

Use "the immediately prior" to refer to something that directly precedes a specific event or item in a sequence. For example, "The data from the "previous" study was used as a baseline for comparison."

What are some alternatives to "the immediately prior"?

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

Is it better to say "the previous" or "the immediately prior"?

While both are grammatically correct, "the previous" is generally more concise and suitable for most contexts. Use "the immediately prior" when you want to emphasize the direct sequence and minimize any ambiguity.

What does "immediately prior" mean?

"Immediately prior" means occurring directly before something else, with no intervening events or items. It emphasizes the closeness in time or sequence between two things.