adjective · neutral

previous

/ˈpriːviəs/PRE·vious

Band 7+task2speaking

Existing or occurring before in time or order

Examples

The previous study found similar results.

Compared with the previous year, production increased by 8%.

In Speaking you might say 'In a previous job I learned…'

Band 8 sentence

Compared with the previous decade, urban green space per capita has declined markedly in many cities.

Collocations

  • previous study
  • previous year
  • previously reported

Word family

previously adverbpreviousness noun (hiếm)

Common mistakes

in previous timepreviously / in the previous period / at a previous time

the previous month agoprevious month / a month ago

Say it for a higher band

5last6prior7+previous

Synonyms

prior

former

Easily confused

prior

Prior approval is required before the experiment begins.

Related words

Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.

In Sublist 4

Learn it with its set