the weekend before

USAGE SUMMARY

'the weekend before' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a specific weekend in the past, for example: I went to the beach with my family the weekend before.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

By the weekend before, 70 people had signed on.

The New York Times

And not to mention the hackathon on the weekend before!

TechCrunch

Well, it is the weekend before Halloween.

The New York Times

Not bad for the weekend before Thanksgiving.

The New York Times - Health

East foe, the Washington Redskins, the weekend before.

The New York Times - Sports

But coming on the weekend before Halloween made it unbelievable.

The New York Times

But it's now the weekend before the election.

The New York Times

Kensington High Street, the weekend before Valentine's Day.

Independent

The weekend before their reunion, Pat White committed suicide.

The New York Times - Books

Avoid the weekend before Christmas, Rick Seaney of Farecompare.com recommends.

The New York Times

The weekend before the wedding, the bride called me.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "the weekend before", ensure the context clearly indicates which event or date you are referencing. For example, "The weekend before Christmas is typically a weird one for Hollywood."

Common error

Avoid using "the weekend before" without clear context. Ensure your audience knows what specific event or timeframe the phrase refers to. For instance, instead of saying "I went to the store the weekend before", specify "I went to the store the weekend before Thanksgiving."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the weekend before" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb by providing a temporal reference point. It specifies the time frame in relation to another event or date, indicating when something occurred.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

15%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "the weekend before" is a common and grammatically correct way to reference the weekend immediately preceding a specific event or date. According to Ludwig, it's frequently used in news and media, as well as in scientific and formal contexts. When using "the weekend before", ensure that the context is clear to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives include "the previous weekend" or "the prior weekend". Understanding the proper usage of this phrase helps to improve clarity and precision in communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the previous weekend

Replaces "before" with "previous" to denote the immediately preceding weekend.

the prior weekend

Uses "prior" instead of "before" to indicate the weekend that came earlier.

the weekend preceding

Changes the structure to use "preceding" to mean the same as "before".

just before the weekend

Adds emphasis to the immediacy before the weekend.

the week's end prior

Rephrases to specify the end of the week that happened earlier.

the Friday before the weekend

Specifies the Friday immediately before the specified weekend.

on the eve of the weekend

Focuses on the immediate approach to the weekend.

leading up to the weekend

Highlights the period right before the weekend.

in anticipation of the weekend

Focuses on the anticipation leading up to the weekend.

the days ahead of the weekend

Refers to multiple days leading up to the weekend.

FAQs

How do I use "the weekend before" in a sentence?

Use "the weekend before" to specify a weekend preceding a particular event or date. For example, "The weekend before Christmas is always hectic."

What are some alternatives to "the weekend before"?

You can use phrases like "the previous weekend", "the prior weekend", or "the weekend preceding" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "the weekend before last"?

Yes, "the weekend before last" is a correct and common way to refer to the weekend that occurred before the most recent weekend.

What is the difference between "the weekend before" and "the following weekend"?

"The weekend before" refers to a weekend in the past, leading up to a specific date or event, while "the following weekend" refers to a weekend in the future, after a specific date or event.