we talked about earlier

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "we talked about earlier" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer back to a previous conversation or discussion that has already taken place. Example: "As we discussed earlier, the project deadline has been moved to next month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

ROY: Another aspect of the executive order that ties into something we talked about earlier as a priority of yours is stabilizing the individual market.

Forbes

And the problems associated with disincentive effects are closely caught up with the targeting errors we talked about earlier.

Cornell University

It's not an absolute decline, and as we talked about earlier today, the US will still be the preeminent power in the world.

Stanford University

Do they face difficulties when it comes to influencing those around them? Yes, because of the similarity factor we talked about earlier.

Harvard Business Review

Let's say I'm that person we talked about earlier, who wanted a promotion, but this time I'm actually going to get that promotion.

Harvard Business Review

"As we talked about earlier, the season is getting shorter, so we're going to run out of days at some point".

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Samuelson: Self-help of the kind we talked about earlier-putting some chaff into the system-seems to me to be perfectly appropriate because it doesn't otherwise violate the law or public policy.

MIT Technology Review

One of the things we talked about early in the project was this idea of creating a connection between players in an environment where you feel small and less empowered than you might in a tradition video game setting.

The Guardian - Tech

It is not like the scenario we talked about earlier-where the boy goes and asks the girl out on a date-now that's connection, that's vulnerability, that's putting your heart out there and risking it be broken.

HuffPost

Having the band play while the audience walked in and giving the audience access to the stage was something we talked about early on.

Los Angeles Times

"That was something we talked about early on -- what they brought to each other and how different it was from anything that she'd ever experienced.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Confirm that the audience was present or aware of the earlier conversation to avoid confusion when using "we talked about earlier".

Common error

Avoid using "we talked about earlier" if there's a chance some readers or listeners weren't part of the initial conversation. Provide a brief recap instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we talked about earlier" functions as an anaphoric reference, pointing back to a prior point in a conversation or text. It serves to connect ideas and maintain coherence. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is acceptable and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Academia

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

9%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "we talked about earlier" is a common and grammatically sound way to refer back to a previous discussion, as validated by Ludwig. It's versatile, appearing in various contexts from news to academic settings. However, it's crucial to ensure your audience shares the context of the earlier conversation to avoid confusion. Consider using more formal alternatives like "as previously mentioned" in professional settings or informal phrases in casual settings. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is both valid and useful for connecting ideas smoothly.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as mentioned earlier

A common and versatile substitute suitable for many contexts.

as we discussed before

Slightly more formal, emphasizing a direct discussion.

as noted earlier

Suitable for formal writing, emphasizing a prior observation.

as previously mentioned

More formal and direct; suits professional or academic writing.

in reference to our earlier discussion

Formal, pointing to a specific, prior exchange.

as I said before

Focuses on the speaker; more personal.

as we touched on previously

Highlights a brief mention in the past.

earlier in our conversation

Highlights the conversational aspect.

returning to my previous point

Emphasizes the return to a specific idea.

going back to what I said

More informal, indicating a revisit to a prior statement.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "we talked about earlier" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, use phrases such as "as previously mentioned", "as noted earlier", or "in reference to our earlier discussion".

What's a more casual alternative to "we talked about earlier"?

Informal options include "going back to what I said" or "as I said before", which are suitable for conversational settings.

When is it inappropriate to use "we talked about earlier"?

Avoid using "we talked about earlier" if not all members of your audience were privy to the initial conversation. It can exclude those who are unaware of the original discussion. In such cases, providing a brief summary is better.

Is "we talked about earlier" grammatically correct?

Yes, "we talked about earlier" is grammatically correct and commonly used. Ludwig confirms its validity and usability in various contexts.