a range of years

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a range of years" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a specific period that spans multiple years, often in contexts like historical timelines, studies, or data analysis. Example: "The research was conducted over a range of years, from 2010 to 2020, to observe long-term trends."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Until last year, the company's pay structure had more than a dozen bands, each representing a range of years of service.

The Economist

We also reconfirmed that the Preah Vihear monument was constructed over a range of years, spanning the Bakheng style period to the Angkor Wat style period (the end of the 9th century to the end of 12th century).

Heritage Science

Yet another area of omission may be a range of years in which no exhibitions took place, for instance, listing group or solo shows between 1965 and 1975 and then from 1995 to 2005.

Huffington Post

Search results can be filtered according to a number of criteria, including specifying a range of years such as '1945 to 1975'2000000 to the present day' or 'before 1900', and what type of journal the article appears in – non-peer reviewed articles such as conference proceedings can be excluded or specifically searched for, or specific journals can be included in or excluded from the search.

Wikipedia

The incidence rate for a range of years was obtained by summing the numerator and denominator for each year.

BMC Gastroenterology

Staff included GPs, Practice Nurses, and Health Care Assistants with a range of years' experience, all of whom received training from HoBtPCT.

BMC Family Practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

For example, my team launched a range of year-round cooking sauces fronted by Gordon Ramsay called Seriously Good sauces.

The Guardian

The preliminary checklist was piloted against forty published syntheses of qualitative research, purposively selected to capture a range of year of publication, methods and methodologies, and health topics.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Mean age was 48 years with a range of 31 years to 65 years.

BMC Family Practice

The average age was lower in patients with FLC compared to patients with HCC (23 ± 2.6 years with a range of 17 45 years vs 58 ± 1.5 years with a range of 22 87 years respectively p = 0.001).

BMC Cancer

Their average age was 42.2 years with a range of 29 67 years while their clinical careers spanned 1.5 to 30 years, with an average of 17 years.

BMC Nursing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When specifying "a range of years", always provide specific start and end dates to avoid ambiguity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using ambiguous formats such as "a range of 1990s" which is less precise than specifying "a range of years between 1990 and 1999".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a range of years" functions as a modifier phrase, typically defining a period or duration within a larger context. Ludwig shows numerous instances where this phrase sets temporal boundaries for studies, historical events, or personal experiences.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a range of years" is a grammatically sound phrase employed to denote a span of time, as affirmed by Ludwig. It is especially frequent in the contexts of science, news and media, and business domains, indicating its adaptability across varied writing styles. Expert analysis ranks its linguistic grade highly, commending its grammatical soundness, source credibility, and consistent use. To enhance clarity, always specify the start and end dates. Ludwig provides several illustrations of how the phrase is utilized in real-world scenarios, providing guidance for its efficient usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

period of years

Replaces "range" with "period", focusing on the duration.

span of years

Substitutes "range" with "span", highlighting the extent of the time.

stretch of years

Emphasizes the continuous nature of the period.

timeframe of years

Uses a more formal term, "timeframe", to specify the duration.

duration of years

Highlights the length of time involved.

course of years

Implies a progression or development over the time period.

succession of years

Focuses on the sequential nature of the years.

series of years

Similar to "succession", but can imply related events during the years.

era spanning years

Emphasizes that the years define a distinct period in time.

historical period

More generic term referencing a notable time in history. Context is missing if it refers to current time.

FAQs

How can I use "a range of years" in a sentence?

You can use "a range of years" to indicate a period of time, for example, "The study examined data collected over "a range of years", from 2000 to 2010."

What's the difference between "a range of years" and "a period of years"?

"A range of years" and "a period of years" are quite similar. "A range of years" might slightly emphasize the specific start and end points, while "a period of years" simply refers to the duration.

Is it better to use "a range of years" or "a span of years"?

Both "a range of years" and "a span of years" are acceptable. The choice often depends on personal preference and the specific context of the writing. However, "span" is maybe more generic than "range".

What are some alternatives to "a range of years" in academic writing?

In academic writing, you can use more formal alternatives such as "a timeframe of years" or "a duration of years" to maintain a professional tone.