The phrase "are common over" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is frequently found or occurs in a particular area or context.
Example: "These types of plants are common over the coastal regions, thriving in the salty air."
Alternatives: "are prevalent in" or "are widespread across".
Measurable snowfalls are common over the long winter season from November to April.
They also are common over the Greenland Ice Cap and in the sheltered mountain valleys of the Yukon and Yakutia.
Elephants are common over much of the river's course, particularly in areas such as the Sesheke Plain and near the Luangwa confluence.
Some parts within the conserved regions are common over domains of microbes, such as between bacteria and algae (16S rRNA genes on algal chloroplast genomes).
Subsidence inversions are common over the northern continents in winter and over the subtropical oceans; these regions generally have subsiding air because they are located under large high-pressure centres.
Such spasms are common: over the whole of his dataset, Mr Jacks finds 140 booms and 135 busts (a gap explained by several ongoing booms, in the likes of corn, copper and gold).
Scams involving art valuations have been common over the years, experts say.
Despite numerous investigations and repeated pledges to tighten procedures, such data lapses have been common over the years.
The fine print on the cellphone contract may be worth examining, because the wireless carriers want to prohibit some Internet use that is common over traditional wired connections.
"There's not animosity, but there is concern that justice will prevail [because] it's been common over the last 50 years for people who have murdered African Americans to have gotten off," he said.
Alleged Pynchon sightings, like so many UFOs, have been common over the years - his new book has inspired another round of Pynchon-ology on Slate and other Internet sites.
