the preceding week

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the preceding week" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the week that comes before the current week in a chronological context. Example: "The report was finalized in the preceding week, and we are now ready to present our findings."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The preceding week had created a stirring context for the music of Bach.

The New York Times

It features more than 20 acts, which are announced on the Wednesday of the preceding week.

The New York Times - Arts

Of that number, 565 were referred in the preceding week alone.

The Guardian

In the preceding week, the group sold off their possessions at low prices.

The Economist

We had sold one job in the preceding week, bringing our monthly sales to $19,366.

The New York Times

In the preceding week, he appeared to be so dead in the water that his solid performance looked stunning.

The Guardian

Economists had expected that claims would fall to 365,000, from the 378,000 initially reported for the preceding week.

The New York Times

I'd been reading his book Hengeworld (2001) over the preceding week, so I was pleased to meet him.

The Guardian - Books

His favorite part of the paper is "Police Log," which lists all the police calls of the preceding week.

The New Yorker

(The preceding week the company will offer new-to-New-York works by Mr. Wheeldon, Alexei Ratmansky and Mark Morris).

The New York Times - Arts

But President Alberto Fujimori himself had spent the preceding week talking about his plans for the sluggish economy.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "the preceding week" to clearly and formally refer to the week immediately before the current one, especially in reports, analyses, or when providing context to events. Ensure the timeframe is relevant and understood by your audience.

Common error

Avoid using "the preceding week" when a more specific timeframe is necessary, such as referring to a particular week by date. Overusing general time references can make your writing vague. Provide specific dates if precision is needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the preceding week" functions as a prepositional phrase, specifying a timeframe relative to the current point in time. Ludwig confirms this usage is grammatically sound and common.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

58%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the preceding week" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase for referring to the week immediately before the current one. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage spans across varied contexts, from scientific reports to news articles. The phrase is most frequently found in News & Media and Science contexts, lending a sense of formality and precision. While alternatives such as "last week" or "the previous week" exist, "the preceding week" is particularly useful when a more formal tone is required. When crafting your content, remember that clarity and context are key: ensure that the timeframe is well-understood by your audience to avoid any confusion. Its strong presence in authoritative sources solidifies its reliability and acceptability in written English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the previous week

Replaces 'preceding' with 'previous', offering a more common synonym.

the prior week

Substitutes 'preceding' with 'prior', maintaining a formal tone.

the week before

Uses a more straightforward and less formal phrasing.

the week that preceded

Rephrases the sentence to use a verb form of 'precede'.

the week immediately before

Adds emphasis on the immediacy of the temporal relationship.

the earlier week

A simpler way to indicate the week that came before.

the week in advance

Highlights the concept of coming before from a slightly different perspective.

the immediately foregoing week

Uses 'foregoing' as a more formal synonym for 'preceding'.

the week just ended

Focuses on the completion of the week before the current one.

last week

A common and casual alternative to indicate the week before the current one.

FAQs

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

You can use "the preceding week" to refer to the week before the current week. For example, "Sales increased significantly compared to "the preceding week"".

What is a less formal way to say "the preceding week"?

A less formal way to say "the preceding week" is "last week". It's a more common and casual way to refer to the week before the current one.

Is there a subtle difference between "the preceding week" and "the previous week"?

The terms "the preceding week" and "the previous week" are largely interchangeable, but "the preceding week" might be perceived as slightly more formal or technical than "the previous week".

When should I use "the preceding week" instead of just saying "last week"?

Use "the preceding week" when you need to maintain a formal or analytical tone, especially in reports, academic papers, or official communications. "Last week" is suitable for casual contexts.