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Preposition after adjective

previous + preposition

Previous is most commonly followed by to when comparing one time or event with another.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with previous?

Use previous to to mean earlier than: previous to the meeting. In, for, of, and on are usually not fixed combinations after previous, though they may appear in larger phrases.

She had worked abroad previous to joining the company.
No experience was required previous to enrollment.
The previous chapter explained the background.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
previous to + event/time

Showing something happened earlier

Use previous to in formal English to compare events or times.

The policy changed previous to the election.
He lived in Spain previous to moving to Canada.
2
previous + noun

Referring to an earlier thing

Previous often directly modifies nouns without a preposition.

Please review the previous report before the meeting.
Her previous employer gave a strong reference.
3
previously to + noun

Formal alternative

Previously to is rare and formal. Previous to is more common.

The land belonged to another family previous to 1950.
Several attempts failed previous to the final launch.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
previous to
The agreement ended previous to the merger.
Standard formal pattern meaning earlier than.
previous in
details mentioned in previous chapters
In usually belongs to another phrase, not to previous itself.
previous for
He had no previous experience for the role.
Not natural. Use previous experience in the role or relevant to the role.
previous of
the previous owner of the house
Of belongs to owner, not to previous.
previous on
Previously on the series, the hero disappeared.
On belongs to previously in media recaps, not to the adjective previous.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using previous for as a fixed pattern

Previous does not normally take for directly.

✕ previous for the event ✓ previous to the event

Adding unnecessary prepositions

Previous often works directly before a noun.

✕ the previous of meeting ✓ the previous meeting

Confusing previous and previously

Previous is an adjective, while previously is an adverb.

✕ He previous worked here. ✓ He previously worked here.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She had visited Rome previous ___ moving there permanently.
2. Please read the ___ chapter first.
3. Which sentence is correct?

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Frequently asked questions

Is previous to formal?

Yes. It is common in formal writing and official language.

Can I say previous than?

No. English uses previous to rather than previous than.

Do I always need a preposition after previous?

No. Previous often directly modifies nouns, as in previous meeting or previous job.

packed-with-to-in-on, into "paid for" or "paid up"? painful for, to, in, at or of? "palatable to" or "palatable for"? "pale in" or "pale of"? "pandemic of" or "pandemic in"? "paramount to" or "paramount in"? paranoid about, of, in, with or over? partial to, of, in, towards or for? participating in, of, on, at or for? "particular about" or "particular to"? part-time at, in, for, as or with?

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