after a considerable time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "after a considerable time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a significant amount of time has passed before an event or action occurs. Example: "After a considerable time, the committee finally reached a decision on the proposal."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

That explains, actually, that they were able to identify it after a considerable time lapse.

BBC

After a considerable time debating backstage – actually, they went outside and locked the door behind them – the judges have made their choice.

TechCrunch

Patients were included after a considerable time period of symptomatic TB and may have overestimated the delay.

BMJ Open

Initial detection of a nosocomial outbreak can sometimes occur only after a considerable time has passed since the appearance of the index case(s).

Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control

In breast cancer there are clearly a number of factors that counter-intuitively influence outcome or for which there is a change, after a considerable time, in longstanding evidence that outcome was not affected.

Breast Cancer Research

In adults, there is some evidence for cell death in the dorsal root ganglia and dorsal horn following nerve injury but this is limited and only observed after a considerable time post-injury (Scholz et al., 2005, Tandrup et al., 2000).

Experimental Neurology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"I would like to particularly stress that the apparent break and entry and assault which took place at my premises the day after the charity event, happened a considerable time after the event had been closed and all attendees had been cleared from the premises by licenced security," Theo Chambers said in a statement provided to AAP by his lawyers.

The Guardian - Sport

Some time after the passage of the ordinance providing for the assessment this map was inadvertently removed from the city files, sent to the purchasers of the bonds issued for the improvement, and not returned until after the lapse of a considerable time.

Cornell University

Couldn't this be described as waiting "for a considerable time after the economic recovery strengthens"?

The New York Times

The FOMC went on to say that "a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate for a considerable time after the economic recovery strengthens".

The Guardian - Opinion

Yellen also pointed to the bit in the statement about keeping rates constant for "a considerable time" after the policy of quantitative easing ends.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "after a considerable time" to emphasize that a noticeable or significant amount of time has passed. It's suitable when the duration is relevant to the situation you are describing.

Common error

Avoid using "after a considerable time" when a specific time frame is known or necessary. If you know it was 'after three weeks', use that more precise wording instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after a considerable time" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate when an action occurred. As Ludwig AI suggests, it points out to a lapse of time before the event.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "after a considerable time" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, indicating a noticeable duration before an event occurs. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and suggests it's used to convey that a significant amount of time has passed. While "after a considerable time" isn't overwhelmingly common, it appears across diverse sources such as news, science, and academia. It is best practice to use it for adding emphasis on duration, but it is important not to use it when you want to be precise. Overall, the phrase is a solid choice to add emphasis to duration.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

following a substantial period

Emphasizes the duration of the period more directly.

after a significant duration

Highlights the importance or length of the duration.

after a prolonged period

Focuses on the length and drawn-out nature of the period.

subsequently, after much delay

Adds a sense of tardiness or postponement.

eventually, following a long wait

Focuses on the eventual occurrence after a prolonged waiting period.

following an extensive delay

Similar to considerable time but indicates explicitly it's a delay.

later, after a lengthy duration

Directly states the sequence of events, emphasizing the extended time.

in due course, after an extended interval

Suggests that something happens at the appropriate time, but only after a long interval.

after a noteworthy lapse

Highlights the remarkable or noticeable nature of the time gap.

in the fullness of time

Suggests an inevitable event occurring after a significant but unspecified period.

FAQs

How can I use "after a considerable time" in a sentence?

You can use "after a considerable time" to indicate that a significant amount of time has passed before something happens. For example, "After a considerable time, the rain finally stopped".

What are some alternatives to "after a considerable time"?

You can use alternatives like "following a substantial period", "after a significant duration", or "eventually following a long wait".

Is it better to use "after a considerable time" or "after a long time"?

"After a considerable time" implies a more significant or noteworthy duration than "after a long time". The choice depends on the level of emphasis you want to convey.

Can "after a considerable time" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "after a considerable time" is suitable for formal writing, particularly when you want to avoid being overly specific about the duration. However, in more technical contexts, it may be useful to provide more precise durations.