was previously booked

USAGE SUMMARY

"was previously booked" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe a situation where someone has already made arrangements to do something. For example, "The flight to London was previously booked, so I had to find another way to get there."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

She was previously booked to support the Foo Fighters on the Friday evening.

The Guardian - Music

The revenue was previously booked at the time of the initial sale, he said, though it should have been recorded as services were delivered.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

They didn't conduct any interviews; their main source material was previously published books and articles.

The New York Times - Arts

The 20-year-old was previously on the books of Blackburn Rovers, spending loan periods with Milton Keynes Dons and Leyton Orient.

BBC

The 19-year-old was previously on the books of Premier League side Sunderland but left the club in July.

BBC

Keegan, 20, was previously on the books of Southampton and was playing for Monaghan United in the Irish top flight until they folded in June.

BBC

The 18-year-old London-born player, who was previously on the books of Celtic, is yet to make his debut for the Potters.

BBC

The 18-year-old, who was previously on the books at Hamilton Accies and Celtic, has signed a two-year contract with an option of a further 12 months.

BBC

Birmingham-born Richards-Everton, who can also play in midfield, was previously on the books of both Crawley Town and Carlisle United.

BBC

The 18-year-old was previously on the books of Championship side Birmingham City, but failed to make a senior appearance for the club.

BBC

He was previously on the books of Premiership side Wasps in 2010 and qualifies as a UK registered player as he holds a British passport.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was previously booked" to clearly indicate that an event, appointment, or resource had been reserved or scheduled at an earlier time. This avoids confusion about availability and planning.

Common error

Avoid using "is previously booked" as it mixes present and past tenses, creating a grammatically incorrect phrase. Always use "was" to indicate a past booking.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was previously booked" functions as a past passive construction, indicating that an action (booking) was completed at an earlier time. Ludwig AI affirms this construction is grammatically sound and useful for specifying prior arrangements. It clarifies that something had already been scheduled or reserved.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was previously booked" is a grammatically correct and usable way to describe an event or resource that had been reserved at an earlier time. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While currently not highly frequent, it is most commonly found in news and media contexts. The phrase serves to provide clarity about prior commitments and is suitable for neutral registers. Alternatives include phrases like "had been scheduled" or "was already scheduled". Ensure to use "was" instead of "is" to correctly indicate a past event.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been scheduled

Emphasizes the scheduling aspect of the booking.

was already scheduled

Highlights that the booking was in place beforehand.

had been arranged in advance

Focuses on the advanced planning involved.

was prearranged

A more concise way of saying arranged in advance.

was reserved beforehand

Emphasizes the reservation aspect of the booking.

had a prior reservation

Highlights the existence of a prior reservation.

was fixed in the schedule

Focuses on the schedule and the fixed nature of the booking.

was committed in advance

Highlights the prior commitment.

had been planned earlier

Emphasizes the earlier planning.

was booked ahead of time

Highlights the booking was made before the reference time.

FAQs

How can I use "was previously booked" in a sentence?

You can use "was previously booked" to indicate that something had been scheduled or reserved earlier, such as "The venue "was previously booked" for another event, so we had to find a different location".

What's a simple alternative to "was previously booked"?

A simpler alternative is "was already scheduled", which conveys the same meaning with fewer words.

Is it correct to say "is previously booked" instead of "was previously booked"?

No, "is previously booked" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is ""was previously booked"", using the past tense of the verb "to be" to indicate that the booking occurred in the past.

What is the difference between "was previously booked" and "is currently booked"?

"Was previously booked" indicates a past booking, while "is currently booked" indicates a booking that is active or ongoing at the present time.