a substantial duration

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a substantial duration" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a significant length of time in various contexts, such as discussions about events, processes, or experiences. Example: "The project took a substantial duration to complete, far exceeding our initial estimates."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Although SCEAM was developed only a decade ago, ten years is a substantial duration in which developments and changes in care practices and legislation can occur, as well as in technology relevant to both care practice and care environments.

BMC Geriatrics

Moreover, treatment must likely occur over a substantial duration of time, since macrovascular outcome events are known to be late complications of a progressive multifaceted pathogenic process that spans decades [ 7, 8].

Cardiovascular Diabetology

However, most of these patients continued on antipsychotic polypharmacy for a substantial duration and only a small proportion of those patients (30%) were deemed to have gone through medication changes as polypharmacy ceased within the first 60 days after medication initiation.

BMC Psychiatry

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Adaptation with a slow time constant could explain the fairly substantial duration of the local search but not its sharp transition to a global search.

eLife

Also, in the female subpopulation, a substantial persistence duration with DMARDs was required to achieve SR (almost 88%% of the entire length of persistence).

Arthritis Research and Therapy

While this might be a significant factor in brain examinations that include dynamic PET measurements of substantial duration, the increase in scan time for the head and neck region is much less pronounced.

European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Substantial duration of contact is thought to be required for the cell-cell interaction to be effective, e.g. for the TC to deliver the cytotoxins that kill the APC that is infected by viruses.

Plosone

We also found that the total ventilated lung area remained unaffected during mechanical ventilation of substantial duration.

BMC Anesthesiology

Thus, the populations had substantial duration of exposure to various factors in their home regions and little exposure outside of these regions.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Moreover, the interventions (particularly those belonging to Avahan) were in place for substantial duration in 2009-10 when second round of the survey was undertaken.

BMC Public Health

Only longitudinal studies of substantial duration that incur natural progression of disease (or biomarkers thereof) would be of value to highlight a retarded progression of age-related diseases induced by therapeutics (e.g., similar to those using statin drugs [ 20, 21], fish oil [ 22], or vitamin supplements [ 23] for prevention of cardiovascular disease).

Aging

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a substantial duration", consider the specific context and whether more precise language would be beneficial. While "substantial" indicates a significant length, quantifying the duration can improve clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "a substantial duration" in casual conversation or informal writing. Simpler alternatives like "a long time" or "quite a while" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a substantial duration" primarily functions as a noun phrase acting as an adverbial, modifying verbs by specifying the extent of time involved in an action or state. Ludwig provides examples where it's used to quantify lengths of treatment, study or exposure.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

22%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a substantial duration" is a phrase indicating a significant length of time, suitable for formal and scientific contexts. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's grammatically sound and effectively conveys that an action or state persists for a noteworthy period. While it appears frequently in science-related literature and news articles, it's less common in informal settings. When seeking alternatives, consider phrases like "a considerable period of time" or "an extended length of time" to maintain a similar level of formality. To prevent errors, use simpler alternatives like "a long time" in casual contexts. Remember that while the phrase is correct, precise quantification of the time frame can always improve clarity. When employing this phrase, bear in mind that this phrase will work better on academic or professional context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a considerable period of time

Emphasizes the length of the time frame, suggesting it's noteworthy.

an extended length of time

Highlights the increased or prolonged nature of the duration.

a significant time frame

Focuses on the importance of the duration, suggesting it's not negligible.

a lengthy period

Simply denotes a duration that is longer than average.

a prolonged timeframe

Implies that the duration has been stretched or extended.

an appreciable amount of time

Stresses that the duration is noticeable and not insignificant.

a good while

An informal way to express a considerable duration.

a long spell

Indicates a continuous period, often associated with weather or activity.

an extensive period

Similar to "extended length of time", stressing broadness.

a noteworthy duration

Highlights that the duration is worth paying attention to.

FAQs

What does "a substantial duration" mean?

The phrase "a substantial duration" refers to a significant or considerable length of time. It implies that the period in question is not brief or negligible.

How can I use "a substantial duration" in a sentence?

You might say, "The treatment requires "a substantial duration" to show noticeable results" or "The study covered "a substantial duration" of economic growth."

What are some alternatives to "a substantial duration"?

Alternatives include "a considerable period of time", "an extended length of time", or "a significant time frame", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to use "a long time" or "a substantial duration"?

While both refer to length of time, "a long time" is more informal. Use "a substantial duration" in more formal or academic writing. In other contexts, consider using "a considerable time" or "a significant period".