three times before

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "three times before" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has occurred on three previous occasions. Example: "I have told you three times before that you need to complete your homework on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

You've been married three times before?

The New York Times - Magazine

I'd used this company three times before without incident.

The New York Times

I had gone to open calls three times before, and submitted through the mail once.

Huffington Post

"Our house has already flooded three times before," Elna said.

Unicef

Intraoperatively, glucose and lactate were routinely sampled at least three times: before, during, and after CPB.

Critical Care

Interviewers revisited households and/or individuals within households at least three times before coding as absent.

Conflict and Health

three times before it ordered a pilot.

The New Yorker

They had to circle three times before he found it.

The New Yorker

Ms Bainbridge has been shortlisted three times before.

The Economist

The trouble is, they've done that three times before.

The Guardian

We broke up three times before it stuck.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "three times before", ensure the context clearly indicates what event or action is being repeated. Clarity prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "three times before" when you actually mean something occurred during three distinct periods, rather than preceding the present moment. For the latter, consider using "on three occasions".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "three times before" functions as an adverbial phrase indicating the frequency and timing of a prior occurrence. Ludwig AI examples show its use in various contexts to specify that something has happened on three separate occasions preceding a particular event or time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

42%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "three times before" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase functioning as an adverbial to indicate that something has occurred on three prior occasions. Ludwig AI confirms its wide applicability across various contexts, including news, science, and business. While maintaining a neutral tone, it's crucial to ensure clarity when specifying what event is repeated. When a more formal phrasing is needed, consider alternatives like "on three previous occasions". Overall, "three times before" serves effectively to provide historical context and is readily understood in both professional and informal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

on three previous occasions

Emphasizes the number of prior instances using a more formal tone.

three prior instances

Replaces 'times' and 'before' with synonyms to convey a similar meaning.

in three earlier instances

Uses 'earlier' instead of 'before' to denote past occurrences.

three times previously

Replaces 'before' with 'previously', maintaining the meaning but with a slightly different emphasis.

on three separate occasions

Highlights the distinct nature of each occurrence.

three times in the past

Explicitly states that the occurrences happened in the past.

had happened three times

Focuses on the event having occurred, rather than the timing.

repeated three times earlier

Emphasizes the repetition of the event in an earlier timeframe.

three instances already

Implies that the number of instances is notable or perhaps excessive.

threefold preceding event

More formal, emphasizing the event's preceding nature and quantity.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "three times before" to sound more formal?

To sound more formal, you can replace "three times before" with phrases such as "on three previous occasions" or "in three prior instances".

Is it correct to say "three times previously" instead of "three times before"?

Yes, "three times previously" is a correct and acceptable alternative to "three times before". They are largely interchangeable while "three times previously" adds a slightly more formal tone.

What's the difference between saying "I've seen it three times" and "I've seen it three times before"?

While "I've seen it three times" indicates the quantity of viewings, "I've seen it "three times before"" implies that these viewings occurred prior to a specific point in time or a current situation.

What can I say instead of "three times before" to emphasize the events were separate?

You could say "on three separate occasions" to highlight the distinct nature of each event, rather than just the number of times it happened.