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I frequently see statements that refer to something later in the text that use a phrase such as "the below information". Is it more correct instead to say "the information below" (or "the following information")?

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I would assume you also find "the above figure" to be a problem? I personally correct authors constantly in using these terms as adjectives. – way0utwest Dec 10 '10 at 16:11
@way0utwest: Yes, I prefer "The frame around my name in the question above is ornate." rather than "the above question." – Dennis Williamson Dec 10 '10 at 16:18
When someone writes "the below information", I surmise that their native language is not English. – GEdgar Nov 17 '11 at 2:50

4 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

As a preposition, "below" would be written after "information" because prepositions should follow the noun: "the information below." In the case of "the following information", an adjective is used to describe the noun and therefore may precede it.

"The below information" is not generally accepted to be correct, because "below" is not universally acknowledged as an adjective. Nevertheless, some dictionaries specifically list this as an exception.

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This answer is incorrect. Just as "the following paragraph" is correct, the "the below information" is also correct. – Richard Rodriguez Nov 16 '11 at 12:39
Please refer to the discussion under nohat's answer: whether or not this is correct depends completely on whether or not "below" may be used as an adjective. – Paul Lammertsma Nov 16 '11 at 15:08
Stating that "the below information is incorrect" is incorrect, therefore your answer is incorrect. – Richard Rodriguez Nov 16 '11 at 15:38
Instead of repeating your opinion, a more constructive contribution to this discussion would be demonstrating that "below" is acknowledged as an adjective. – Paul Lammertsma Nov 16 '11 at 16:23
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My answer is based upon the fact that Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, Collins English Dictionary and Wiktionary all only list "below" as a preposition and an adverb. I don't see the need to get so upset about this. – Paul Lammertsma Nov 16 '11 at 22:24
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up vote 8 down vote

Merriam-Webster lists a relevant definition:

below (adjective): written or discussed lower on the same page or on a following page

Given this, there is nothing wrong with “the below information”.

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I hadn't considered that it could be an adjective. Random House doesn't list it; perhaps this is where the confusion comes from? – Paul Lammertsma Aug 13 '10 at 1:09
It is at least much less widely used as an adjective than as an adverb. – F'x Feb 22 '11 at 14:42
I want 'below' to be used as an adjective, but I think it is not generally accepted ('bad form'), buit the position is still in question; one can have adjectives (rarely) come after the noun. But I feel that this particular 'below' is more adverbial. The M-W definition doesn't give an example and OED doesn't list an adjectival entry. The related OED entry fro 'beneath' gives the adjective as 'rare' (with a Shakespeare quote). A newspaper editor would fire a writer who tried to use "the below information", whatever ones justification might be. – Mitch Nov 16 '11 at 16:35
@Mitch: I don't like the sound of it myself, but I think that it is becoming / will become more common / acceptable. I don't like the quote verb 'be like', but I'm resigned to its use. That the usage is cited in M-W surely 'legalises' it - absences from other respected dictionaries are not final proofs. Notice that M-W only licenses the domain of written / printed materials. – Edwin Ashworth Apr 10 at 11:08
up vote 3 down vote

An Ngram reveals which is more common...

the below information

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+1: And adding to the Ngram "the information above" and "the above information" shows that while "above" can go both before and after the noun, "below" can only go after. – Peter Shor Nov 17 '11 at 3:33
up vote 2 down vote

"He lives on the below floor" or "He lives on the floor below"? -- If not grammar, at least usage is against the first mentioned way of saying it.

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The MW sense for the attributive-position adjective (below {adjective}: written or discussed lower on the same page or on a following page) does not sanction domains outside the written / printed page, I'd guess in line with usage. – Edwin Ashworth Apr 10 at 11:02

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