average length

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "average length" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the typical or mean measurement of something, often in contexts like statistics, writing, or physical dimensions. Example: "The average length of a novel is typically around 80,000 words."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

AUDIENCE: What's the average length of stay?

Cornell University

The average length of a cruise is 14 days.

The Guardian - Travel

The average length of relationship is just under 15 years.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

(The average length of stay is two years).

The New York Times

The average length of use was nine years.

The New York Times

The average length of detention is 426 days.

The Guardian

The average length of stay for patients was also misstated.

The New York Times - Style

Average length of stay was 47 days.

Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Average length of stay: 12.13 months.

Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology

The average length of such sanction is seven weeks.

The Guardian

11.2.1 What is the Average Length of the Delay?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "average length", specify the units of measurement (e.g., inches, meters, years) to provide clarity and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "average length" when the median or mode would be a more representative measure. For skewed data, the average can be misleading.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "average length" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as a subject or object in a sentence. It quantifies a measurement or duration, as seen in Ludwig examples: "The average length of a cruise is 14 days." Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

32%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "average length" is a grammatically correct and very common noun phrase used to denote the typical or mean measurement of something. As supported by Ludwig, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, including science, news media, and academia. While alternatives like "mean length" and "typical length" exist, it's crucial to use the appropriate measure (mean, median, mode) based on the data distribution. When employing this phrase, specifying units of measurement enhances clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mean length

Replaces "average" with "mean", indicating the arithmetic mean; a direct synonym.

typical length

Substitutes "average" with "typical", highlighting the most common or representative length.

average duration

Replaces "length" with "duration" to refer to a period of time, not a physical dimension.

usual length

Uses "usual" instead of "average", emphasizing the commonness of the length.

average height

Replaces "length" with "height" to refer to vertical measurement.

median length

Uses "median" instead of "average", referring to the middle value in a dataset.

approximate length

Adds "approximate" to indicate an estimated, not exact, length.

estimated length

Replaces "average" with "estimated", suggesting a calculated or predicted length.

average size

Substitutes "length" with "size", broadening the scope to include other dimensions.

average extent

Uses "extent" instead of "length", referring to the range or scope.

FAQs

How is "average length" calculated?

The "average length" is typically calculated by summing all the individual lengths and dividing by the total number of items. This gives the arithmetic mean.

What's the difference between "average length" and median length?

The "average length" is the sum of all lengths divided by the number of lengths. The median length is the middle value when lengths are ordered from least to greatest. For skewed data, consider using "median length".

When should I use "average length" in a sentence?

Use "average length" when you want to describe the typical or mean measurement of a group of items or durations. For example, "The average length of a movie is two hours".

What are some alternatives to "average length"?

You can use alternatives like "mean length", "typical length", or "usual length" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.