a century

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a century" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a period of 100 years. Example sentence: "The tower has stood for over a century, a symbol of the city's rich history."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

A century of centuries.

The New York Times

A century ago, T.E.

The Economist

Half a century?

The Guardian - Opinion

It took half a century.

The New York Times

Now fast-forward a century.

The New York Times

† "A Century of Global Stockmarkets".

The Economist

Once a century should suffice.

The New York Times

Fast forward half a century.

The New York Times

|  "Wunderkammer: A Century of Curiosities".

The New Yorker

That was more than a century ago.

The New York Times - Travel

A century ago, though, it was new.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a century" to refer to a period of 100 years, ensuring clarity and conciseness in historical or general contexts. For example, "The city's architecture reflects changes over "a century" of development."

Common error

Refrain from using "a century" repeatedly within a short passage; vary your language with related terms like "hundred years" or specific decades to maintain reader engagement and prevent monotony.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a century" functions primarily as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject, object, or complement within a sentence. Ludwig's examples show it denoting a period of 100 years in historical, scientific, and general contexts, as also confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

76%

Encyclopedias

5%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a century" is a commonly used noun phrase that refers to a period of 100 years. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and appears frequently in diverse contexts, including News & Media and Encyclopedias. It is generally used to provide temporal context, measure change, or highlight duration. While it is versatile, it's important to avoid overuse in consecutive sentences and consider varying your language with related terms. Ludwig's examples showcase its widespread application across multiple domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one hundred years

This is the most literal and direct alternative, specifying the exact duration.

a hundred years

This alternative replaces 'century' with its numerical equivalent followed by 'years'.

a period of one hundred years

This alternative is more descriptive, specifying a 'period' encompassing the duration.

a span of a century

This alternative replaces 'period' with 'span', offering a slightly different nuance related to duration.

a centennial period

This alternative substitutes 'a century' with 'a centennial period', using the adjective form.

the last hundred years

This phrase is focused on a specific past time frame.

a lifetime

This represents a duration roughly equivalent to the average human lifespan, providing a human scale.

an era

This refers to a long and distinct period of history with particular characteristics.

a generation

This refers to the period roughly between parents and children.

a decade

This refers to a significantly shorter period of ten years.

FAQs

How can I use "a century" in a sentence?

You can use "a century" to refer to a period of 100 years. For example, "Many advancements have occurred over "a century" in the field of medicine."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "a century"?

Alternatives include "one hundred years", "a hundred years", or "a centennial period", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "one century" instead of "a century"?

While grammatically correct, "one century" is less common than "a century". The choice depends on the specific context and emphasis you wish to convey. "A century" is generally preferred for its natural flow.

What is the difference between "a century" and "a decade"?

"A century" refers to a period of 100 years, while "a decade" refers to a period of 10 years. Thus, "a century" is ten times longer than "a decade".