a passing period

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a passing period" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a brief interval of time during which something occurs or changes, often in an educational context between classes. Example: "Students have a passing period of five minutes to get to their next class."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The incident that led to Young's expulsion occurred on April 16, when six students allegedly surrounded him during a passing period and threatened to beat him.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

On the other hand, one infectious person coughing throughout a single passing period during school has the potential to infect 8 15 other students (and there are up to 6 passing periods per day).

BMC Public Health

Wait until passing period.

WikiHow

Another returns to teaching just six weeks after giving birth, and frantically looks for places to use a breast pump during passing periods.

Huffington Post

Meeting these requirements within the duration of the first pass period is a challenge.

Plosone

Hell, there were going to be few passes, period.

Huffington Post

I don't know if would use give the term a pass, a grace period maybe.

The New York Times - Sports

A band-pass filter with passed periods of 30 100 s was applied into each trace recorded at F-net station N.ABUF.

Earth, Planets and Space

Swansea play with a passing style based on long periods of possession and Poyet is keen to implement aspects of that into Sunderland's game.

BBC

Early in the sixth overtime period, a pass from Boston defenseman Eddie Shore was intercepted, and Ken Doraty skated in on a breakaway, cleanly beating Thompson at 4 46 of the period.

Wikipedia

So with basic salary alone, Foxconn assembly-line workers will make as much as $400 a month, based on location and passing a probationary period.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing schedules or routines, use "a passing period" to denote the time allocated for transitions between activities, especially in academic settings. This emphasizes the brief but necessary nature of the interval.

Common error

Avoid using "a passing period" to describe extended breaks or intervals, such as lunch breaks or vacation periods. This phrase specifically refers to short transitional times, not substantial periods of rest or inactivity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a passing period" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as an adverbial of time. As seen in Ludwig, it identifies a specific, short duration allocated for transition, particularly in educational settings.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a passing period" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to denote a brief interval of time, particularly for transitions. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's most frequently seen in news, scientific, and wiki contexts. While its usage is relatively rare, it effectively serves to specify short durations in schedules or routines, as seen in the provided examples. To ensure clarity, avoid using it for extended breaks and consider more formal alternatives like "transition interval" in professional settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a brief interval

Focuses on the shortness of the time.

a short break

Highlights the interruption or pause aspect.

a transition time

Emphasizes the changing or moving aspect.

a changeover period

Suggests a more formal or structured transition.

an intermission

Commonly used for breaks in performances or events.

a recess

Usually refers to a break in school or court sessions.

a breather

Informal term for a short rest or pause.

a lull

Indicates a temporary pause in activity.

a pause

A general term for a temporary stop.

a gap

Highlights the space or time between events.

FAQs

How can I use "a passing period" in a sentence?

You can use "a passing period" to describe the time between classes in a school setting, for example: "Students have "a passing period" of five minutes to get to their next class".

What's the difference between "a passing period" and "a break"?

"A passing period" refers to a short transition time, often between classes, while "a break" is a more general term for any pause in activity, which can be longer.

What can I say instead of "a passing period"?

Alternatives include "a brief interval", "a transition time", or "a short break", depending on the specific context you want to convey.

Is "a passing period" formal or informal?

"A passing period" is generally considered neutral to slightly informal. While understandable in most contexts, more formal settings might benefit from using a term like "a transition interval" or "a changeover time".