Earlier vs Formerly vs Like before
Cuándo usar cada una en inglés, con significado, registro y ejemplos.
Earlier
Top 2000 (común)
Formerly
FormalMás de 10 000 (menos común)B2adverb
Like before
Top 3000 (común)
Más formal: FormerlyMás común: Earlier
| Earlier | Formerly | Like before | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciación | 🇬🇧 //ˈɪə.əl.ɪə//🇺🇸 //ˈɪr.li.ər// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɔːməli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɔːrmərli/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //laɪk bɪˈfɔː//🇺🇸 //laɪk bɪˈfɔr// |
| Significado | Antes de ahora o antes de una hora concretaBefore now or before a specific time | en el pasado; antes de ahorain the past; before now | As you did in the past. |
| Ejemplo | I arrived earlier than everyone else. | Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa | She smiled at him, just like before. |
| Registro | Neutral | Formal | Neutral |
| Qué tan común | Top 2000 (común) | Más de 10 000 (menos común) | Top 3000 (común) |
| Nivel CEFR | - | B2 | - |
| Categoría gramatical | adverb | ||
| Colocaciones | earlier today, earlier than expected, earlier this week | formerly a leader, formerly known, formerly used | act like before, feel like before, return like before |
| Antónimos | later, after | currently, now | - |
| Errores comunes | Confused with 'earliest' - 'earlier' compares two times, while 'earliest' refers to the first in a group., Using 'earlier' to refer to future events - it only applies to past events. | Confused with 'formally' — 'formerly' relates to the past, while 'formally' relates to official contexts., Omitting it when describing past roles or states, which can lead to ambiguity. | Using 'like' incorrectly in formal writing., Confusing with 'similar to before' which implies comparison rather than action., Forgetting to use past tense verbs when referring to a past action. |
| Notas de uso | Usa 'antes' para referirte a un momento previo a lo que se está hablando. Es neutral. Evita usarlo en contextos muy formales donde se necesiten referencias de tiempo específicas.Use 'earlier' to refer to a time before what is currently being discussed. It is neutral in tone. Avoid using it in highly formal contexts where specific time references are needed. | Usa 'anteriormente' para describir algo que era cierto en el pasado pero que ya no lo es. Es más formal que decir 'solía'. Evita usarlo en conversaciones informales.Use 'formerly' to describe something that was true in the past but is no longer the case. It is more formal than saying 'used to'. Avoid in casual conversations. | Use 'like before' to indicate a return to a previous situation or action. This phrase is appropriate in both spoken and written contexts. |
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Preguntas frecuentes: Earlier vs Formerly vs Like before
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre Earlier, Formerly y Like before?
Earlier: Before now or before a specific time Formerly: in the past; before now Like before: As you did in the past.
¿Cuál es más formal: Earlier, Formerly y Like before?
Formerly es la más formal de estas.
¿Cuál es más común: Earlier, Formerly y Like before?
Earlier es la más común en el inglés cotidiano.
¿Puedes mostrar un ejemplo de cada una?
Earlier: I arrived earlier than everyone else. Formerly: Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa Like before: She smiled at him, just like before.
¿Puedo usar Earlier, Formerly y Like before indistintamente?
No siempre. Earlier, Formerly y Like before están relacionadas y a veces se solapan, pero difieren en registro, frecuencia y uso, así que cambiar una por otra puede alterar el significado o el tono. Revisa las diferencias de arriba antes de sustituir.