this was prior

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "this was prior" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be intended to indicate that something occurred before a certain point in time, but it lacks clarity and proper grammatical structure. Example: "This was prior to the meeting, so we didn't have all the information we needed."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

This was prior to 19 November, when 26-year-old civil servant Christopher Galley was arrested.

The Guardian

"This was prior to her marriage, children, divorce, and the media tabloid feeding frenzy that followed.

The New Yorker

This was prior to the suit, O.K.? Then did it affect it?

The New York Times

This was prior to the requirement that all app update submissions be 3.0 compatible.

TechCrunch

"Secondly, all of this was prior to the economic downturn and the pressure on the public purse".

BBC

At one point it had over 100 employees (remember, this was prior to a closed beta launch) and now has 25 to 30 people.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

(Note: This is prior to the Internet's discovery that gerbils caused the Black Death).

Huffington Post

This is prior to, and independent of apical cues associated with the germ-cell cyst (Tanentzapf et al., 2000).

Biology Open

This officer was prior enlisted, married, and has three children.

The New Yorker

The defendant says he believed – and this belief was prior to the incident – that he thought it was a doll".

The Guardian

This period was prior to public health warnings about the adverse effects of smoking during pregnancy.

Human Molecular Genetics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "this was before" or "this occurred earlier" instead of "this was prior" to ensure grammatical correctness.

Common error

Avoid using "prior" as a preposition in this context. It's better to use "before" or rephrase the sentence for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this was prior" is intended to function as an adverbial phrase indicating a temporal relationship. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. A more suitable alternative would be using something like "this was before" or "this occurred earlier".

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "this was prior" is flagged by Ludwig AI as grammatically incorrect. As such, it is recommended to avoid using this phrase in writing. More appropriate alternatives to express the intended meaning, which is to indicate something happened or existed before a certain point, include "this was before" or "this occurred earlier". These alternatives ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy in both formal and informal contexts. Because no examples of this query are found across any source, it indicates a rare or non-existent frequency.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

this was before

Replaces "prior" with "before", creating a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase.

this occurred before

Substitutes "was prior" with "occurred before", providing a more formal and grammatically sound alternative.

this happened earlier

Uses "happened earlier" to indicate a previous occurrence, maintaining a similar meaning.

this predates

Replaces the entire phrase with "this predates", offering a concise and grammatically correct alternative.

this was earlier than

Clarifies the temporal relationship by stating "earlier than", ensuring grammatical accuracy.

this preceded

Employs the verb "preceded" to indicate that something came before, offering a more formal tone.

this took place beforehand

Uses "took place beforehand" to express the prior occurrence of an event.

this existed previously

Indicates prior existence using "existed previously", providing a descriptive alternative.

this was in place before

Specifies that something "was in place before", clarifying its prior existence or arrangement.

this obtained beforehand

Uses "obtained beforehand" to convey that something was acquired or existed before a certain time.

FAQs

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "this was prior"?

You can use alternatives like "this was before", "this occurred earlier", or simply "earlier" depending on the context.

Is "this was prior" considered formal or informal English?

The phrase "this was prior" isn't standard English. Consider using "this was before" which is acceptable in both formal and informal contexts.

How can I use "before" instead of "this was prior" in a sentence?

Instead of saying "This was prior to the meeting", say "This was before the meeting".

What is the difference between "this was prior" and "this was previously"?

While "this was prior" is grammatically incorrect, "this was previously" is a correct alternative to indicate something happened at an earlier time.