The expression you're looking for can be written as:
\[ 7 \times (x - 1) \]
where \( x \) represents the number in question. If you want to expand the expression, you can do so as follows:
\[ 7 \times (x - 1) = 7x - 7 \]
If you need further assistance with this expression or want to apply it in a specific context, feel free to ask!