Earlier vs Formerly vs Like before vs Previously

Quand utiliser chacun en anglais, avec le sens, le registre et des exemples.

Earlier

Top 2000 (courant)

Formerly

FormelAu-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)B2adverb

Like before

Top 3000 (courant)

Previously

Top 2000 (courant)B1adverb
Le plus formel: Formerly
 EarlierFormerlyLike beforePreviously
Prononciation🇬🇧 //ˈɪə.əl.ɪə//🇺🇸 //ˈɪr.li.ər//🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɔːməli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɔːrmərli/"]/🇬🇧 //laɪk bɪˈfɔː//🇺🇸 //laɪk bɪˈfɔr//🇬🇧 /["/ˈpriːviəsli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈpriːviəsli/"]/
SensAvant maintenant ou avant un moment précisBefore now or before a specific timedans le passé ; avant maintenantin the past; before nowAs you did in the past.Avant maintenant ; plus tôt.Before now; earlier.
ExempleI arrived earlier than everyone else.Namibia, formerly known as South West AfricaShe smiled at him, just like before.The building had previously been used as a hotel.
RegistreNeutreFormelNeutreNeutre
FréquenceTop 2000 (courant)Au-delà de 10 000 (moins courant)Top 3000 (courant)Top 2000 (courant)
Niveau CEFR-B2-B1
Nature grammaticaleadverbadverb
Collocationsearlier today, earlier than expected, earlier this weekformerly a leader, formerly known, formerly usedact like before, feel like before, return like beforepreviously mentioned, previously discussed, previously stated, previously introduced, previously reported
Antonymeslater, aftercurrently, now-subsequently, afterwards
Erreurs fréquentesConfused 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.Using 'previous' instead of 'previously' in a sentence., Confusing 'previously' with 'currently' which means now., Misplacing 'previously' in a sentence and changing the meaning.
Notes d'usageUtilisez 'plus tôt' pour faire référence à un moment antérieur à ce qui est actuellement discuté. Le ton est neutre. Évitez de l'utiliser dans des contextes très formels où des références temporelles précises sont nécessaires.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.Utilise 'autrefois' pour décrire quelque chose qui était vrai dans le passé mais qui ne l'est plus. C'est plus formel que de dire 'avait l'habitude'. À éviter dans les conversations décontractées.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.Utilisez 'précédemment' pour relier des événements passés au présent. Il convient aux contextes parlés et écrits, mais peut sembler trop formel dans les conversations décontractées.Use 'previously' to connect past events with the present. It's suitable for both spoken and written contexts but may sound too formal in casual conversations.

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Earlier
Formerly
Like before

Questions fréquentes : Earlier vs Formerly vs Like before vs Previously

Quelle est la différence entre Earlier, Formerly, Like before et Previously ?

Earlier: Before now or before a specific time Formerly: in the past; before now Like before: As you did in the past. Previously: Before now; earlier.

Lequel est le plus formel : Earlier, Formerly, Like before et Previously ?

Formerly est le plus formel de tous.

Lequel est le plus avancé : Earlier, Formerly, Like before et Previously ?

Formerly est le niveau le plus élevé, à B2, sur l'échelle CEFR.

Peux-tu montrer un exemple de chacun ?

Earlier: I arrived earlier than everyone else. Formerly: Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa Like before: She smiled at him, just like before. Previously: The building had previously been used as a hotel.

Puis-je utiliser Earlier, Formerly, Like before et Previously de façon interchangeable ?

Pas toujours. Earlier, Formerly, Like before et Previously sont proches et se recoupent parfois, mais elles diffèrent par le registre, la fréquence et l'usage, donc remplacer l'une par l'autre peut changer le sens ou le ton. Regarde les différences ci-dessus avant de substituer.

Comparaisons associées