pre-screening

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   the process of checking people or things for problems before the main test, interview, or entry

   Grammar: Used as a noun without 'a' or a plural: 'Pre-screening is required.'

   Patterns

   • pre-screening for something
   • pre-screening of someone/something
   • go through pre-screening

   All visitors must go through pre-screening before they can enter the building.

   The clinic does pre-screening for heart problems before referring patients to a specialist.

   Pre-screening of job applicants saves the company a lot of interview time.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   relating to checks done before the main test or selection

   Grammar: Comes before a noun: pre-screening test, pre-screening questions.

   Patterns

   • pre-screening test
   • pre-screening question
   • pre-screening process

   The pre-screening test is quick and only takes about ten minutes.

   Candidates answer a few pre-screening questions online before the interview.

   Airport pre-screening checks have become stricter in recent years.

Common combinations

go through pre-screening

Every new employee goes through pre-screening before starting work.

pre-screening process

The pre-screening process helps us find the best applicants quickly.

pre-screening test

She passed the pre-screening test and moved on to the final interview.

conduct pre-screening

The hospital conducts pre-screening for all new patients.

Synonyms and how they differ

screening

Screening is the general word for any check; pre-screening means the check happens before the main stage, so it is more specific.

vetting

Vetting is mostly about checking someone's background and character, often for security; pre-screening is broader and can be about health or skills too.

Word family

pre-screen verb

to check someone or something before the main test

screen verb

to check or test someone or something

screening noun

a test or check for a disease or problem

Commonly confused: pre-screening or prescribing?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “pre-screening”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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