the preceding items

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the preceding items" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to items that have been mentioned earlier in a text or conversation. Example: "Please review the preceding items in the list before making your final decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

However, once the microbe or its toxin is in the living host, all the preceding items except the microbial nucleic acid cannot be analyzed.

Microbial Forensics

And more still, you have to act to learn things--like how to obtain all the preceding items.

Forbes

In contrast to the preceding items the occurrence and intensity of anxiety, obviously played a more important role.

BMC Psychiatry

For studies related to biomarkers, the reviewers should also pay attention to the following matters in addition to the preceding items.

British Journal of Cancer

Another limitation, and one that is shared with many surveys, is that the content of the open-ended comments may have been influenced by the preceding items.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

The preceding items and other statements in the article raise doubt about the plausibility of a link between the single high urinary BPA measurement and the single abnormal neurological assessment.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Parentheses following verbs contain the past stem, while the symbol > indicates that the preceding item was replaced by the item that follows.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Following the post-stimulus fixation display, a first response screen asked subjects to indicate the preceding item's OLD/NEW status ("How confident are you that this picture was shown during the LEARNING phase?") using a response slider with equally spaced labels (certainly old, probably old, unsure, probably new, certainly new).

Nature

In addition, in the present experiment we observed a facilitation in T2 report when an unrelated object was presented immediately before it, compared to when the preceding item was a pattern mask similar to the other distractors in the RSVP stream.

Plosone

When probing concurrently, the cognitive processes that patients use might be influenced by the probing of the preceding item.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Additionally, dissimilarity was unrelated to the questionnaire item, and dissimilarity of the preceding item, i.e. differences found in the content of a cognitive process for one item was not found to influence dissimilarity in the content of that same cognitive process for the subsequent item.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "the preceding items", ensure that the items you are referring to are clearly defined and easily identifiable in the text. This avoids ambiguity and ensures clarity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "the preceding items" if the items being referenced are not immediately clear or are too far back in the text. If there's any ambiguity, restate the items for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the preceding items" functions as a determiner phrase, specifically acting as a reference to nouns previously mentioned in a text. Ludwig examples demonstrate its use in academic, scientific, and general contexts to avoid repetition and ensure clarity.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the preceding items" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase for referring back to previously mentioned items. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is particularly common in scientific, academic, and news contexts. To ensure clarity, always make sure the reference is unambiguous. Consider using alternatives like "the previous items" or "the aforementioned items" depending on the context and desired level of formality. Avoid using the phrase if the reference is unclear or distant.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the previous items

Replaces "preceding" with "previous", offering a more common and straightforward alternative.

the earlier items

Substitutes "preceding" with "earlier", indicating items that appeared before in time or sequence.

the aforementioned items

Uses a more formal term, "aforementioned", to refer to items previously mentioned, suitable for legal or academic contexts.

the items above

Employs a spatial reference, "above", implying items listed directly before in a written document.

the foregoing items

Replaces "preceding" with "foregoing", offering a slightly more archaic and formal tone.

the items listed before

Expands the phrase to explicitly state "items listed before", providing clarity and emphasis.

the prior items

Substitutes "preceding" with "prior", indicating items that came before in order or importance.

the items in question

Refers to specific items under discussion or consideration, implying a focused subset of previously mentioned items.

the relevant items

Highlights items that are pertinent or applicable to the current discussion, narrowing the scope to those that matter most.

the items just mentioned

Emphasizes the immediacy of the reference, indicating items that were recently discussed or noted.

FAQs

What does "the preceding items" mean?

The phrase "the preceding items" refers to a set of items that have been mentioned or listed earlier in a text or conversation. It's used to avoid repetition and refer back to something already established.

How can I use "the preceding items" in a sentence?

You might say, "After reviewing "the previous items", we can proceed with the analysis" or "Please ensure that all "the aforementioned items" are included in the report."

What are some alternatives to "the preceding items"?

You can use alternatives like "the previous items", "the earlier items", or "the aforementioned items" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "the preceding items" and "the following items"?

Yes, "the preceding items" refers to what came before, while "the following items" refers to what comes after. They are opposite in direction.