these former

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "these former" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to individuals or entities that were previously in a certain position or state. Example: "These former employees have valuable insights into the company's operations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

(Barney was one of these former airmen).

The New Yorker

These former teammates offered no respite from stinging hits.

The New York Times - Sports

Reality TV can never replicate these former soldiers' experiences.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Where does the Army want to send these former soldiers?

The New York Times

Some of these former inmates committed horrific crimes.

The New York Times

He encouraged workers of these former Russian states to rise up and set up Soviet republics.

The Guardian

Three of these former death-row inmates killed again once they were out of prison.

The New York Times

Mr. Neffgen, KBR's chief operating officer, called these former employees "mistaken and misinformed".

The New York Times

I wondered what these former leaders would think of American politics today.

The Guardian - Arts

A year ago, these former parish rivals had come together at a new school.

The New York Times

There are lots of reasons to applaud this type of work from these former leaders.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "these former", ensure the context clearly establishes what the subjects were formerly. Avoid ambiguity by providing specific details about their past roles or states.

Common error

Avoid using "these former" if the referent isn't explicitly mentioned or easily understood from the context. Always ensure clarity by specifying who or what you're referring to.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "these former" acts as a determiner phrase, specifically functioning as a pre-modifier to a noun. It identifies a specific group or set that previously held a certain status or position. This is evident in Ludwig examples like "These former employees" or "These former leaders."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "these former" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term to describe individuals or entities that previously held a specific status or role. According to Ludwig AI, the expression is accurate and appropriate for written English. It's commonly found in news, media, and scientific writing. While "these former" is generally neutral in tone, it is crucial to ensure the context clearly establishes the subjects being referred to, as failing to do so is a common error. Alternatives like "the aforementioned" or "those previous" can be used depending on the context and desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

those previous

Uses "those" instead of "these" and "previous" instead of "former", indicating a group from an earlier time.

the ex-

Uses the prefix "ex-" to indicate a previous role or status.

the aforementioned

Replaces "these former" with a more formal term, suitable for academic or legal contexts, referring to something previously mentioned.

the prior

Employs "prior" to denote something that came before in time or order.

previously mentioned

Replaces "these former" with a phrase that directly indicates something has been referred to earlier.

the past

Uses "past" as an adjective to replace "former", focusing on a time before the present.

one-time

Uses "one-time" to indicate a past state or condition.

earlier

Uses "earlier" as a general term indicating something happened or existed before.

erstwhile

Replaces "these former" with a more archaic term indicating a past role or status.

sometime

Uses "sometime" to refer to a past period or occurrence.

FAQs

How can I use "these former" in a sentence?

Use "these former" to refer to a group of individuals or entities that previously held a particular position or status. For example, "these former employees" indicates individuals who were previously employed by a company.

What's a more formal alternative to "these former"?

A more formal alternative to "these former" is "the aforementioned", which is suitable for academic or legal writing when referring to something previously mentioned.

Is it correct to say "those former" instead of "these former"?

While grammatically correct, "those former" might be used if referring to individuals or entities further away or less directly associated than "these former" implies. The choice depends on the context and the intended emphasis.

What is the difference between "these former" and "these previous"?

The terms "these former" and "these previous" are largely interchangeable. However, "former" often implies a complete separation from the past role, whereas "previous" simply indicates something that came before. For instance, "these previous experiences" might still influence current behavior, while "these former" experiences may not.