three months earlier

USAGE SUMMARY

'three months earlier' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a past event that happened three months before the present time or the time when you are making the reference. For example, "We had purchased the house three months earlier, but now the market value had increased significantly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

She had given birth three months earlier.

The New Yorker

His cancer had been diagnosed three months earlier.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The operation took place nearly three months earlier.

The New York Times

Paramount had expressed interest in buying DreamWorks three months earlier.

The New York Times

(But again, these are closings from three months earlier).

The New York Times

Her hubcaps had been stolen three months earlier.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

Revised figures showed the Spanish recession started three months earlier than previously indicated.

The Guardian

"Three months earlier I'd bought a one-way ticket and just stayed there.

The Guardian - Music

Starting three months earlier than normal, the process allows for longer and more open deliberations.

The New York Times

Sixty-three percent of voters say they've heard of Johnson, up from just 34percentthree months earlierer.

Huffington Post

— Tanya Snyder's mammogram was normal three months earlier.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "three months earlier" to clearly indicate a specific time frame relative to another event already mentioned. This helps maintain chronological clarity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "three months earlier" without a clear point of reference. Ensure your audience understands what event the phrase is relative to, preventing ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "three months earlier" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, specifying when an event occurred in relation to a reference point. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and frequent usage in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "three months earlier" is a common and grammatically sound way to indicate a specific time frame before a given reference point. Ludwig AI validates its prevalent use across varied contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Academia. When using the phrase, ensure a clear point of reference to prevent ambiguity. Alternatives such as "approximately a quarter of a year prior" or "in the preceding quarter" can be used depending on the desired formality and context. Overall, "three months earlier" serves effectively to establish timelines and provide temporal context in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately a quarter of a year prior

Uses a more descriptive and less common expression of time.

around 90 days before

Replaces months with an equivalent number of days to specify time.

ninety days prior

Substitutes "three months" with its approximate equivalent in days.

in the preceding quarter

Uses financial language to describe the period, fitting business contexts.

three months in advance

Highlights the 'ahead' aspect rather than simply the past.

earlier by a trimester

Utilizes "trimester", a less common term for a three-month period.

a fourth of a year ago

Expresses the time frame as a fraction of a year.

a season before

Employs a seasonal timeframe to represent the three-month interval.

three months back

An informal, colloquial way to express the same duration in the past.

in the prior 12 weeks

Specifies the duration in weeks instead of months, offering a different emphasis.

FAQs

How can I use "three months earlier" in a sentence?

You can use "three months earlier" to establish a timeline, like in "The company launched a new product. "Three months earlier", they had secured a major funding round".

What are some alternatives to saying "three months earlier"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "a quarter of a year prior", "approximately 90 days before", or "in the preceding quarter".

Is it correct to say "three months prior" instead of "three months earlier"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "three months earlier" is generally more common and easily understood. "Three months prior" is more formal and may fit better in certain contexts.

What is the difference between "three months earlier" and "three months later"?

""Three months earlier"" refers to a point in time that precedes a specific event, while "three months later" refers to a point in time that follows it. They establish opposing directions in a timeline.