approximately every quarter

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "approximately every quarter" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs roughly every three months or four times a year, often in contexts like financial reports or project timelines. Example: "The company reviews its performance approximately every quarter to assess progress and make necessary adjustments."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

THE Red Meat Club meets approximately every quarter.

The New York Times

Approximately every quarter of an hour I would mutter, "Art is a house with many rooms" or "People used to feel that way about Van Gogh".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Dell doesn't break out specific numbers but says Linux server sales have approximately doubled every quarter for the past year.

Forbes

The only income helping her raise her grandchildren is 360 maloti, approximately US$44, received every quarter through a social cash transfer programme called the Lesotho Child Grants Programme.

Unicef

With the recording of approximately 55,000 drug offences every quarter, the majority of which are for cannabis possession, it is young people that are most affected.

The Guardian - Opinion

But even young William and Kate, for all their pretensions to fully funded privacy in exchange for approximately one baby snap every quarter, have never imputed to media persecutors, in the manner of a safe-space enforcer, the further flaws of racism and sexism.

The Guardian - Opinion

Full-time undergraduate students take three to four courses every quarter for approximately eleven weeks before their quarterly academic breaks.

Wikipedia

at one of the Army Air Forces navigation schools noticed that his secretary's telephone rang every morning at approximately a quarter to twelve.

The New Yorker

Approximately one quarter of athletes who test positive will want to see the B sample.

The Guardian - Sport

(Rose's upkeep, according to Charles Bowden, is approximately a quarter of a million dollars a year).

The New Yorker

In contrast, approximately one quarter of leavers did so.

International Journal of STEM Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "approximately every quarter", ensure the context clearly defines what constitutes a 'quarter'. This is especially important in financial or business reports, where a quarter usually refers to a three-month period.

Common error

Avoid assuming everyone understands what a 'quarter' refers to in your context. In some fields it could mean one fourth of something else than time. Clarify if there's any ambiguity, instead of simply relying on "approximately every quarter".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "approximately every quarter" functions as an adverbial phrase of frequency, specifying how often an event occurs. Ludwig's AI confirms that this phrase is a correct and usable part of the English language.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "approximately every quarter" serves as an adverbial phrase indicating the frequency of an event, occurring roughly every three months. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in a variety of contexts. Though its frequency is uncommon, it's suitable for news, science, and formal business settings. For more precise or formal contexts, alternatives like "quarterly" or "on a quarterly basis" may be preferred. When using the phrase, be sure to clarify what a 'quarter' refers to. Overall, it's a useful phrase for expressing approximate quarterly intervals.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

roughly every three months

Replaces "quarter" with its direct time equivalent, providing a more explicit timeframe.

about every three months

Similar to "roughly every three months", but uses "about" instead of "roughly" for a slightly less formal tone.

around every quarter

Substitutes "approximately" with "around", offering a slightly more casual phrasing.

nearly every quarter

Uses "nearly" in place of "approximately", implying a close approximation.

almost every quarter

Similar to "nearly every quarter", suggesting the event happens close to every quarter but not always exactly.

every three months or so

Adds "or so" to indicate a degree of uncertainty in the timing.

quarterly, give or take

Expresses the same frequency using "quarterly" with the added flexibility of "give or take".

at roughly quarterly intervals

Rephrases the concept using "intervals", emphasizing the periodic nature of the occurrence.

on a roughly quarterly basis

Similar to "at roughly quarterly intervals", but uses the phrase "on a... basis".

in roughly three-month cycles

Describes the frequency in terms of "cycles", highlighting the recurring nature of the event.

FAQs

How can I use "approximately every quarter" in a sentence?

You can use "approximately every quarter" to describe events that happen roughly four times a year. For example: "The board of directors meets approximately every quarter to review financial performance."

What's a more formal way to say "approximately every quarter"?

A more formal alternative is "on a quarterly basis", which conveys the same meaning with a slightly more professional tone. For example: "Reports are submitted on a quarterly basis."

What's the difference between "approximately every quarter" and "quarterly"?

"Quarterly" implies a more precise three-month interval, while "approximately every quarter" suggests a less rigid timeframe, allowing for slight variations around the three-month mark. They are interchangeable but with minor nuance in "degree of precision".

What can I say instead of "approximately every quarter" to indicate a similar frequency?

You can use alternatives like "roughly every three months" or "about every three months" to express the same idea with different wording.