course or so

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "course or so" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate an approximate duration or quantity, often in a casual context. Example: "I expect the meeting to last a course or so, depending on the agenda."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Request the staff to co-operate and plan to put out all the lights at the time of the second course or so and arrange a special screening of your grandparents' movie.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Of course 50, or so they tell us, isn't what it used to be.

The New York Times

There are, of course, twenty-five million or so North Korean citizens who may disagree.

The New Yorker

There have been much-hyped attempts to provide courses online, in the wave of massive open online courses, or so-called Moocs.

BBC

Of course, nine months or so down the road, you also have to suddenly get smart and reverse course before "real" inflation does take hold.

Forbes

The "Cascadia" part of its name comes from the Cascade Range, a chain of volcanic mountains that follow the same course a hundred or so miles inland.

The New Yorker

Pope Benedict XVI chose it as the site of the fifth conference of bishops from Latin America and the Caribbean, which is meant to set the course for 450m or so of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics.

The Economist

Possibly because they were all self-portraits of Fosso, an African photographer who, over the course of 35 years or so, has transformed himself into everyone from a postcolonial hipster to an African tribal chief to Angela Davis.

The New York Times - Style

Rarely in the history of regulation have so many reversed course so completely, or so fast.

Forbes

Unpleasant words were exchanged over the course of ten or so more emails.

TechCrunch

And there's an 18-hole course an hour or so away.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "course or so" when you want to indicate an approximate stage or point in a planned order or direction of actions. It's suitable when precision is not critical.

Common error

Avoid relying on "course or so" excessively in formal writing where specific details are expected. Opt for more precise quantifiers or timeframes to enhance clarity and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "course or so" functions as an approximating adverbial phrase, modifying the time or the stage of the event or action. It adds vagueness to the timing, suggesting an estimate rather than a precise measurement. As Ludwig AI highlights, this expression is considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "course or so" is a grammatically sound and versatile expression used to indicate an approximate duration or stage of a task, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While frequently used in News & Media, Wiki and Science, it's essential to consider the context. For formal writing, using more specific measurements is preferable. Alternative phrases like "approximately that long" or "around that time" can be used depending on the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Roughly that course

Indicates an inexact measure of a phase or module.

Give or take a course

Expresses a margin of error regarding number of classes/courses.

More or less that duration

Implies that the actual length is near the mentioned length.

About that time frame

Denotes an estimated period rather than a precise one.

In that approximate period

Suggests an estimated duration.

In the vicinity of that course

Refers to an approximate point in a series or progression.

Around that time

Refers to a time period that is near the stated moment.

In about that stage

Suggests the point in time is close to the indicated stage.

In that general time

Similar to 'around that time' but emphasizes a non-specific estimate.

Approximately that long

Indicates a duration that is close to the described length.

FAQs

How can I use "course or so" in a sentence?

You can use "course or so" to indicate an approximate point or stage in a sequence. For example, "The project should be completed a "course or so" after the initial phase."

What is a good substitute for "course or so"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "approximately that long", "around that time", or "about that time frame" as substitutes for "course or so".

Is "course or so" formal or informal?

"Course or so" is generally considered informal. In more formal contexts, it's best to use more precise language.

What does "course or so" mean?

"Course or so" means approximately at that stage or duration. It's used to express an estimate when giving precise information is not necessary.