will previously be

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "will previously be" is not correct and usable in written English.
The word "previously" indicates a past action, while "will" indicates a future action, creating a contradiction. Example: "The report will previously be submitted by the deadline" is incorrect.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The HT-generated datasets will previously be marked with our confidence score following the criteria here discussed.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

For guys who'd previously been exclusively attracted to women and moved in mostly lesbian circles, this can be pretty unexpected terrain.

Vice

These hairy bits will have previously been expanded by the gradual inflation of silicone balloons inserted underneath the skin.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

There is no (first-order) impact from other effects that prompt some consumers to make fewer searches because these consumers will have previously been on a decision margin.

European Economic Review

Each night the charity looks after about 1,700 people in London and the South East of England - and most of these will previously have been sleeping rough.

BBC

However, critics will claim Cameron has previously been happy to discuss his possible choice of schools for his children.

The Guardian

That letter will officially indicate that the support and care they previously were provided will be terminated abruptly.

Vice

For the end user, it'll make books that previously were impossible to find accessible, and easy to locate.

TechCrunch

These data, which have previously been lacking, will expand the utility of medaka for aging research.

Plosone

Other risks or supports that have not previously been identified will also be collected.

BMJ Open

Intra and inter rater reliability for these methods will be assessed and have previously been shown to be high [ 64].

BMC Psychiatry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "will previously be" in your writing. It combines future and past tenses incorrectly. Instead, clarify the timeline by using "will have been" or restructuring the sentence to separate the past and future elements.

Common error

A common mistake is to blend past and future tenses, like in "will previously be". Always ensure your verb tenses align with the intended timeline of events. If something happened in the past and has a future consequence, use "will have been" to accurately reflect the sequence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "will previously be" attempts to combine a future auxiliary verb with an adverb indicating a past action, creating a grammatically incorrect construction. As noted by Ludwig AI, the word "previously" indicates a past action, while "will" indicates a future action, creating a contradiction.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "will previously be" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. As Ludwig AI confirms, the combination of the future tense auxiliary verb "will" with the past-referencing adverb "previously" creates a tense conflict. While examples of the phrase can be found in various sources, including news and scientific publications, these instances do not legitimize its use. Instead, opt for grammatically sound alternatives such as "will have been" or rephrase the sentence to clearly separate past and future elements for better clarity and accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

will have been

Emphasizes a future state resulting from a past action, correcting the tense conflict.

would have been

Indicates a hypothetical past situation, suitable for conditional sentences.

will be beforehand

Replaces "previously" with "beforehand" to clarify the timing of the action in the future.

will be formerly

Uses "formerly" instead of "previously" to describe a past state that influences the future.

will at one time be

Rephrases to indicate something that will exist at a point in the past from a future perspective.

will in the past be

Rearranges the words to awkwardly highlight the intended meaning, though not grammatically ideal.

will then be

Indicates a future action following a prior event, omitting direct reference to the past.

will subsequently be

Focuses on the future consequence, replacing the emphasis on the prior action.

will eventually be

Shifts the focus to the eventual future state, removing the past reference.

will one day be

Highlights a future occurrence without linking it to a specific past event.

FAQs

Why is "will previously be" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "will previously be" combines the future tense auxiliary verb "will" with the adverb "previously", which denotes a past action. This creates a conflict in time reference, making the phrase grammatically unsound. It's like saying something "will have already happened" but phrasing it in a contradictory way.

What are some correct alternatives to "will previously be"?

Instead of "will previously be", you can use phrases like "will have been" to indicate a future state resulting from a past action or rephrase the sentence to clearly separate past and future elements.

How can I avoid making tense errors when writing about past and future events?

To avoid tense errors, carefully consider the sequence of events you're describing. Use "will have + past participle" (e.g., "will have completed") for actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future. If separating the events feels unnatural, consider splitting the sentence in two for better clarity.

Is there a context where "will previously be" might be acceptable?

No, there is no grammatically correct context where "will previously be" is acceptable. The conflicting tenses create a logical contradiction that should always be avoided. Always use alternative phrasings such as "will have been" or "would have been" for clarity.