close to a month

USAGE SUMMARY

"close to a month" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to talk about a period of time that is nearly, but not quite, a month long. For example: "I haven't heard from her in close to a month, so I'm starting to worry."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

Close to a month.

The New Yorker

It's what that family lives on for close to a month.

The New York Times

It was close to a month knowing this was going to happen".

The New York Times

I spent close to a month watching Greg fight in and around Falluja.

The New York Times

At these rates, we can now do in close to a month what used to take years of simulation.

Stanford University

For close to a month last spring, the Brooklyn-based photographer lived alone in a cabin in the northwest corner of the national park.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

Analysts expect a reading of 52.5, close to a June reading of 51.8, which was the lowest in 17 months.

The New York Times

How are you paying close to a grand a month for this?

Vice

Oil futures pushed above $60 a barrel, close to a 30-month high, The Post reported.

The Washington Post

At near $115 a barrel it is close to a nine-month high.

The Guardian - Business

Sugar rose 4percentt on buying by importers taking advantage of prices that are close to a 14-month low.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "close to a month" when precision is not critical, and you want to convey an approximate duration that is less than but approaching a full month. For example, "The project took close to a month to complete".

Common error

Avoid using "close to a month" when you have precise data on the duration. Instead, provide the exact number of days or weeks. For example, instead of saying "The repair took close to a month", if it took 26 days, state "The repair took 26 days".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close to a month" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating the approximate duration of an event or action. It specifies that the length of time is nearing but not exactly a month. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "close to a month" is a common and grammatically sound way to express a duration nearing, but not quite reaching, a full month. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is valid for use in written English. The analysis reveals its prevalence across various contexts, especially in News & Media, and its appropriateness for neutral registers. While it's a useful phrase for conveying approximate durations, remember to favor precise language in formal contexts when accuracy is paramount. Consider alternatives like "almost a month" or "nearly a month" for nuanced expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost a month

Specifies a duration that is slightly less than a full month.

nearly a month

Indicates a time period that is approaching a full month.

about a month

Expresses an approximate duration of one month.

around a month

Similar to 'about a month', conveying an estimated timeframe.

roughly a month

Emphasizes the approximate nature of the one-month duration.

in the vicinity of a month

A more formal way of saying 'about a month'.

approaching one month

Highlights the sense of the duration nearing a full month.

three weeks and change

Provides a slightly more specific, but still approximate, timeframe.

a few weeks shy of a month

Indicates a period slightly shorter than a month.

in the neighborhood of a month

Informal way of saying approximately one month.

FAQs

How can I use "close to a month" in a sentence?

You can use "close to a month" to indicate an approximate duration that is slightly less than a full month. For example, "I waited "close to a month" for the package to arrive."

What's a more formal alternative to "close to a month"?

A more formal alternative to "close to a month" could be "approximately one month" or "nearly one month". For example, "The investigation lasted approximately one month."

Is it appropriate to use "close to a month" in academic writing?

While "close to a month" is understandable, it may be more suitable to use a more precise term or phrase in academic writing, such as "approximately four weeks" or "slightly less than one month".

What is the difference between "almost a month" and "close to a month"?

Both phrases indicate an approximate duration, but "almost a month" emphasizes that the duration is just shy of a month, while "close to a month" simply means that the duration is nearing a month.