alternating hours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "alternating hours" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a schedule where two or more different time periods are alternated, often in the context of work or activities. Example: "The employees will work alternating hours to ensure coverage throughout the day."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Hired freelance through an agent, she said she made about $120 a day at the show, alternating hours of work and rest from morning to night for 10 days.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In Fig. 4 (left panel) are reproduced the digital ionograms at the American sector equatorial station Jicamarca at alternate hours from 00 UT to 12 UT of 25 June 1998.

Earth, Planets and Space

Have a smoke, have a few smokes, but please, for the sake of both your lungs and your friendships, try and limit them to alternate hours.

Vice

The Taunton service has occasional extensions to and beyond, while the Gloucester to Westbury has alternate hour extensions to (via Worcester) in the north, to in the south, and one daily extension to.

Wikipedia

The team also exposed tumor-bearing rats to varying intensities of light during the darkness phase of an alternating 12-hour light/12-hour dark cycle.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Mr. Tucci, also, was alternating long hours on the film set of "The Chambermaid," a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes, and directed by Wayne Wang.

The New York Times

Twelve pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: a control (C) group with free access to a standard diet and a food-restricted group with alternating 24 hours of fasting and nonfasting from day 14 of pregnancy to day 14 of lactation.

Nutrition Research

They were maintained under standard conditions of temperature (30°C) and humidity (50%) with an alternating 12 hours light/dark cycles.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

While on alert, the crews would alternate 24 hours on and 24 hours off and they would sleep in barracks at the base because they could not be more than two minutes away from their battle stations.

The New York Times

Many visitors to Monaco alternate their hours between its beaches and boating facilities, its international sports-car races, and its world-famous Place du Casino, the gambling centre in the Monte-Carlo section that made Monte-Carlo an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth.

Encyclopedia Britannica

For each experiment, the microbial community was incubated for 36 h under one of two differing natural light regimes: continuous 3% solar irradiation or alternating 1-hour periods of 80% solar irradiation and darkness.

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing work schedules, use "alternating hours" to clearly indicate a rotation between different time slots. For example, "The security guards work alternating hours to cover the building 24/7."

Common error

Avoid using "alternating hours" when you simply mean flexible or varied hours. "Alternating hours" implies a specific, cyclical rotation rather than just a general lack of fixed timing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "alternating hours" functions as a noun phrase describing a schedule or arrangement involving the rotation of different time slots. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "alternating hours" is a grammatically correct and usable term for describing schedules that involve rotating time slots. Ludwig AI analysis of real-world examples indicates that it is most commonly found in scientific and news contexts. While not extremely frequent, it is a clear and concise way to describe such schedules, making it useful in both professional and general communication. Related phrases include "rotating shifts" and "shifting hours", offering alternative ways to express similar concepts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

alternating schedule

Highlights a scheduled rotation, broader than just hours.

rotating shifts

Focuses on scheduled work periods that change regularly.

shifting hours

Emphasizes the change in work times, but less structured.

alternating day shifts

Highlights a schedule in which day shifts rotate.

irregular schedule

Highlights the lack of a fixed timetable.

changing work schedule

General term indicating a work timetable that does not remain constant

varied work times

A general term for inconsistent work schedules.

cyclic schedule

Emphasizes the repeating nature of time slots.

staggered timing

Implies times are offset to avoid congestion.

periodic hours

Highlights that the hours occur regularly at certain periods.

FAQs

How can I use "alternating hours" in a sentence?

You can use "alternating hours" to describe a schedule where work times rotate, like, "The nurses work "alternating hours" to ensure constant patient care."

What's a good alternative to "alternating hours"?

Depending on the context, alternatives include "rotating shifts", "shifting hours", or "varied work times".

Is "alternating hours" grammatically correct?

Yes, "alternating hours" is grammatically correct and commonly used to describe a rotating schedule.

What's the difference between "alternating hours" and "flexible hours"?

"Alternating hours" indicates a structured rotation of work times, while "flexible hours" suggests employees can adjust their start and end times within certain limits.