consecutive years

USAGE SUMMARY

"consecutive years" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it to describe a period of time in which something happened in each of those years. For example, "He has served as president for the past five consecutive years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Open in consecutive years.

The New Yorker

Nonuse for two consecutive years shall be prima facie abandonment.

Cornell University

The program requires residency for two consecutive years.

Stanford University

It has been that way for five consecutive years.

The New York Times

My federal income tax was audited for three consecutive years.

The New York Times

For each of 18 consecutive years, profits and revenue grew.

The New York Times

The recipients have completed five consecutive years of revenue growth.

The New York Times

The family has four consecutive years of exams to endure.

The Guardian

Has sung there on Palm Sunday for 43 consecutive years.

The New Yorker

To win four consecutive years is almost unknown.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

It never has happened in non-consecutive years.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "consecutive years" to clearly indicate that events occurred in an unbroken sequence of years. This avoids ambiguity about whether there were gaps in the timeframe.

Common error

Avoid using "consecutive years" to describe events that don't happen annually. For example, do not say "three consecutive years of elections" if elections are not held every year.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "consecutive years" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun, typically describing a period of time characterized by sequential years. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and widespread usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

25%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Forbes

5%

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "consecutive years" is a commonly used phrase to denote an unbroken sequence of years, making it useful for specifying durations and periods with ongoing events. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct. The analysis reveals that it appears most frequently in news and media, science, and academic contexts. When writing, ensure the phrase is used when events or conditions truly occur each year without gaps. Alternatives like "successive years" or "years in a row" can be used to vary wording while maintaining clarity. "Consecutive years" is a versatile phrase for a range of subjects and content, suitable for formal, neutral and informal registers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

successive years

Replaces "consecutive" with "successive", maintaining the sense of sequential years.

sequential years

Replaces "consecutive" with "sequential", keeping a formal tone.

straight years

Uses "straight" as a more informal synonym for "consecutive".

years in a row

Rephrases the concept to emphasize the unbroken sequence of years.

continuous years

Emphasizes the uninterrupted nature of the years.

back-to-back years

Highlights the adjacency of the years in the sequence.

subsequent years

Focuses on the years that follow a particular point in time in an unbroken sequence.

following years

Highlights years that immediately follow each other.

year after year

Expresses the recurrence of each year in the sequence.

in uninterrupted years

Emphasizes the lack of breaks within the sequence.

FAQs

How do I use "consecutive years" in a sentence?

You can use "consecutive years" to describe how many years in a row something has happened. For example, "The company has increased its profits for five "consecutive years"".

What can I say instead of "consecutive years"?

Alternatives include "successive years", "straight years", or "years in a row", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "three consecutive year" instead of "three consecutive years"?

No, it should be "three consecutive years". The word "years" is plural because it refers to more than one year.

What's the difference between "consecutive years" and "non-consecutive years"?

"Consecutive years" refers to years that follow one another without interruption. "Non-consecutive years" means that the years are not in a row and there are gaps between them.